New Zealand Milk renamed as Fonterra
 

by Hiran H. Senewiratne

Fonterra Brands Lanka (Pvt) Limited previously known as New Zealand Milk Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, a leading dairy product manufacturer and a marketer will increase their production capacity of Newdale yogurt and pasteurised milk production within next few years.

The company has recorded noticeable growth in the yoghurt and pasteurised milk sector in the last few years. This has prompted them to increase the production capacity at the Biyagama factory, its Managing Director Alastair de Raadt told the Daily News at the unveiling ceremony of new name and corporate identity of the company's brand.

He said that it manufactures two million Newdale yoghurt cups and 200,000 litres of pasteurised milk for a month, which recorded a 30 per cent and 20 per cent growth in these respective two products during the last few years. Therefore the company has planned a major upgrading programme which is in the pipeline, he said.

The company employs more than 540 staff in Sri Lanka and source its ingredients from both Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Locally, around 2000 Sri Lankan farmers supply the company with fresh milk, which is mainly used in the production of the company's Anchor, Anlene, Anmum, Ratthi brands.

The company also supports the local dairy industry by providing local farmers with global expertise on farming and pasture development, the facilitation of loans through local banks for business development, the provision of veterinary services and the provision of food-concentrate and veterinary drugs at reduced rates, he said.

All manufacturing and packing takes place at the Biyagama facility which is accredited with ISO 9001 and HACCP standards, ensuring the utilisation of quality management systems and standards of food safety.

The company will heavily invest on safety and water treatment facility projects, he said.