Drink Asia July August 2019 | Page 12

Topical–Global Kim Knudsen, head of sales, coffee and freeze drying at GEA said, “This type of project is ideal for us at GEA because our expertise and scope of supply allows us to build the entire coffee line using our own resources. This means we can maintain control and take responsibility for the entire project from start to finish.” GEA builds fi rst freeze- dried instant coff ee plant in Vietnam for Tata Coff ee T ata Coffee Vietnam Company, a subsidiary of Tata Coffee, has opened a new instant coffee plant in Vietnam following collaboration with GEA. Located in the Binh Duong province, the facility will produce 5,000 tons per annum of freeze-dried coffee and represents Tata Coffee’s third manufacturing plant, after Theni and Toopran in India. Germany-headquartered GEA supplied the entire production line, from roast bean treatment to the packing of the freeze- dried powder. GEA also built a complete pilot plant, providing Tata Coffee with facilities where it can develop exclusive blends for customers. Sanjiv Sarin, managing director and CEO of Tata Coffee, said, “The Tata Group already has a close relationship with Vietnam in various sectors – including automobiles, steel, trading, energy and watches. While our products are already exported to over 40 countries across the globe, our instant coffee has so far been produced only in India. “Globally, freeze-dried coffee is a growing segment and Tata Coffee Vietnam marks our first foray beyond Indian shores as a manufacturer of premium freeze-dried coffee – and is a significant milestone in our journey to becoming a global coffee major. Tata Coffee Vietnam will endeavour to bring best-in-class manufacturing, with a focus on sustainability and safety.” Earlier this year, GEA secured a contract to build a new infant formula plant in China for Shijiazhuang Junlebao Dairy, with production expected to start in 2020. Tate & Lyle to collaborate with Long Life Dairy in SA T he Tate & Lyle and Long Life Dairy, a subsidiary of Unique Dairy, have collaborated to create a range of long term shelf products in SA and to enable more families with limited access to refrigeration to benefit from dairy products. Created using Tate & Lyle’s stabilisers and functional systems, the new range of pocket-friendly yogurt-style dairy snacks, bottled milkshakes and custard pouches do not require refrigeration and are stable for up to one year. Tate & Lyle technical service teams in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Lübeck, Germany, worked with Long Life Dairy’s development team to trial different recipe formulations. Long Life Dairy trialled products in Tate & Lyle’s pilot plant in Germany before selecting final recipes to take into full-scale production at the manufacturer’s new facility in Pretoria. “Many dairy products on sale in South Africa require cold storage and, although ambient shelf life milk and custard are widely available, there are few on-the-go dairy options for immediate consumption,” said Stefan Van der Berg, general manager of Long Life Dairy. “Ambient dairy is an exciting new sub-category for our business and we are exploring opportunities to introduce the new range to consumers in other African regions.” Drink Asia 12 Neels Poerstamper, technical support manager South Africa, Tate & Lyle, added: “Using our innovative stabiliser ingredient blends, we are proud to have helped Long Life Dairy to create an innovative new product range that will help more families to enjoy the benefits of dairy, particularly those without access to cold storage. “This product innovation demonstrates how, with customers, we are providing access to nutritious and affordable foods, and delivering on our purpose of ‘Improving Lives for Generations’. The packaging, price point and long shelf life make the range particularly attractive to South Africa’s many solo traders, allowing them to capitalise on resale opportunities.” July-August 2019