Olam Group company Olam Food Ingredients confirmed this week that it plans to construct a new dairy processing plant in Tokoroa, New Zealand that will produce high-value dairy ingredients using spray drying technology.

“This facility will complement and enhance our ability to support our global customers meet growing consumer demand for products that are natural, nutritious, and delicious. It will also help address their innovation, traceability, and sustainable sourcing requirements as New Zealand’s farming standards and high-quality milk are very well regarded,” Naval Sabri, vice president, OFI Dairy, said in a company release.

Olam will consider producing additional ingredients at the location that target key customer applications in desserts, bakery and confectionery products, and beverages in the future. Products manufactured at the Tokoroa site will be sold across 20 major milk consumption markets, including South-East Asia, China, the Middle East, and Africa.

“The Tokoroa dairy ingredients will form part of OFI’s much wider natural ingredients portfolio, which includes cocoa, coffee, nuts, and spices, ideal combinations with dairy for customized products such as yogurts, protein bars, and ready-to-drink tea, coffee, and cocoa beverages,” said Sabri.

Up to 60 full-time jobs will be created with the opening of the plant.  

Olam Group said in February that it will list its Ingredients business for sale in 2022 following a reorganization effort in January 2020 that created two operating groups, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) and Olam Global Agri (OGA).