Fonterra, a dairy co-operative in New Zealand, plans a N$72m ($60.72m) expansion project at its mozzarella plant in Clandeboye, Canterbury, aimed at strengthening its global foodservice capabilities.
The foodservice segment includes full and quick service restaurants, institutions, hotels, airline catering facilities and other commercial kitchens.
The expansion is scheduled to begin in mid-2014 and be completed by September 2015. It will double the capacity of the Clandeboye plant in Canterbury to produce individual quick frozen (IQF) grated mozzarella.
It will increase Fonterra's IQF mozzarella capacity across its two facilities in New Zealand to more than 50,000 tons per year.
The Clandeboye plant features a manufacturing process developed by the Fonterra Research and Development Centre. The technology allows the company to make frozen natural shredded mozzarella milk in one day rather than in two months by traditional procedures.
Fonterra Foodservice director René Dedoncker said the foodservice category is being driven out of emerging Asian markets where the category is estimated to grow at around 13% annually to 2016.
"Demand for high-value dairy products like mozzarella is being fuelled by changing dietary habits, particularly in Asia where there is a significant move toward more Westernised diets," Dedoncker added.
