FrieslandCampina Ingredients is investing more than €90 million into expanding its capacity to convert internally sourced whey – a natural by-product of cheese production – into protein ingredients.
The investment includes technological upgrades across its production sites in Bedum, Veghel, and Workum to support the manufacture of advanced proteins such as WPC80, instantised whey proteins, and FrieslandCampina’s specialty Nutri WheyTM ProHeat microparticulated whey.
These ingredients are used in products such as high protein drinks, bars and yoghurts; with FrieslandCampina eyeing up the performance and active nutrition, early life nutrition, and medical nutrition categories where global demand for premium whey protein continues to grow.
The move follows the company’s expansion of its Borculo facility, which saw production capacity for whey protein isolate and fat globule membrane double. More recently, FrieslandCampina also closed the acquisition of Wisconsin Whey Protein, a leading US-based producer of whey protein isolates.
“Global demand for advanced protein solutions continues to accelerate. This programme is the next step in our broader investment strategy to lead in high-value proteins, building on recent investments to strengthen whey capacity and valorisation in the Netherlands such as in Borculo, and in the United States through the acquisition of Wisconsin Whey Protein,” commented Anne Peter Lindeboom, president FrieslandCampina Ingredients.
“By investing across our ingredients network, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers worldwide and to create more value from our whey streams in a sustainable and future-oriented way.”
The investments are set to strengthen FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ position as a high-value whey protein supplier and ensure its facilities in the Netherlands remain competitive, technologically advanced and aligned with future market and customer needs.
The site upgrades will also contribute to FrieslandCampina’s broader environmental ambitions, with improved energy and water efficient technologies put in place of older production lines. Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be reduced by approximately 16 kilotonnes CO2e.
FrieslandCampina will phase the investments over the coming years and expects to reach full operational capacity in 2028.