The scale of the project is massive, both in terms of production and labor. The facility is expected to initially process over 50 million litres of UHT cream annually, with projections indicating the capacity will more than double to over 100 million litres by 2030. To complete this expansion, the construction workforce currently on site is set to triple in the coming months, swelling the team to 150 contractors. This highlights the immediate economic benefit and urgency of the co-operative’s timeline.

Construction is proceeding rapidly, having begun in January. General Manager of Lower South Island operations, Andrew Johns, confirmed that significant progress is already visible. The walls and concrete slabs for the processing and packing areas are in place, and most of the roof is now on. Furthermore, external excavation work is nearly complete for the product store and distribution warehouse, with foundations currently being laid for the essential container yard.

The entire project is structured around a tight deadline, with the co-operative anticipating the first UHT products to roll off the new production line in August of the following year. This timing is crucial to quickly capitalize on the growing demand, particularly within the lucrative foodservice sector of Asian markets, where UHT cream offers a key competitive advantage due to its extended shelf-life and stability.