For almost 100 years Fonterra’s Palmerston North facility has been finding new ways to treat and consume dairy products.
Apart from the scale of it, the matrix of pipework and stainless steel mimics a normal dairy processing plant.
The difference between your everyday plant and the Fonterra Research and Development Centre in Palmerston North is in the subtle – and to the untrained eye hard to discern – changes to that piping configuration, as well as what you don’t see.
The centre is Fonterra’s frontline for the development of new products and processes.
In the fully operational dairy processing plant and its neighbouring laboratories and kitchens, 350 scientists, technicians and support staff seek to add to the list of recently developed products, such as six-hour-maturing mozzarella cheese and UHT cream.
Pierre Venter, the centre’s director of research and development, said the centre has for nearly a century been at the cutting edge of dairy product development.
Developments include spreadable butter to combat the challenge from margarine, and using whey protein.
Some of that development has been in partnership. It operates 60 such collaborations globally, and has more than 500 global patents registered.
Venter said its role is to constantly search for new products and solutions targeting different levels of the market.
UHT cream has been a recent innovation. It is aimed at the expanding mid-tier markets, which requires a certain functionality and price point.
Andy Smith, the centre’s manufacturing manager, said the challenge is to ensure new processes do not affect the behaviour and functionality of protein.
While the actual processes and products being worked on are confidential, he said, the world seeks protein that assists with active and healthy lifestyles especially for older people.
The world’s population is aging and people want protein at the right level and in the right formulation to enhance their health.
A liquid drink containing 16% protein, one of the highest protein levels on the market, is targeting that market.
The UHT cream, which is called Anchor Easy Bake, is one of the centre’s latest innovations and in-house chef Simon Davey, who tests the various new products in the kitchen, said it behaves exactly like regular whipping cream.
Sarah Glyn-Jones, the research and development manager for advanced nutrition, said with a nine-month shelf life, Anchor Easy Bake means Fonterra can now reach markets that may have supply chain issues that would affect products with a shorter shelf life.
Anchor Easy Bake was developed in response to customers seeking a highly concentrated protein for baking.
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