Dairy producer Lactalis South Africa has invested R140-million in a new evaporator dryer powder plant facility at its cheese manufacturing plant in Bonnievale, in the Western Cape, which will significantly boost skimmed milk production capacity.

Skimmed milk powder is a versatile ingredient that is used in a range of food products, including baked goods, confectionery, dairy products, and processed foods. It is also used as a nutritional supplement and contains essential nutrients, such as protein and calcium.

The purpose of the evaporator dryer plant is to efficiently remove water from milk to produce a dry powder that has a longer shelf life, is easily transportable and can be used in a variety of applications. The drying process is carefully controlled to ensure that the dried milk powder is of a high quality and standard.

Lactalis South Africa’s Bonnievale factory is one of the biggest cheese factories on the African continent and currently provides employment to 800 employees.

“This investment further demonstrates the continued commitment by Group Lactalis to strengthen its business in South Africa. We remain focused on finding innovative business solutions that enable the production of high-quality food products while creating employment and making a difference in the communities in which we operate,” says Lactalis Southern Africa GM Alban Damour.

“Agriculture is the most dominant sector in the five districts of the Western Cape. It drives the economy and creates jobs. The agriculture sector was the largest contributing subsector in the primary sector, contributing 8.7% of Cape Winelands District's gross domestic product per region in 2020,” highlights Western Cape Agriculture MEC Dr Ivan Meyer.

“Between 2016 and 2020, agriculture had an average growth rate of 0.9%. This investment supports this growth rate and the Western Cape government’s goal to inspire hope through growth and jobs, and creates business and consumer confidence,” he notes.

“Group Lactalis invests millions into South Africa annually because we believe in this country. We will continue to invest and find solutions to enable us to do business in South Africa,” says Lactalis Asia, Oceania and Africa region senior VP Diego Puerta.

“The Western Cape government is deeply committed to working with Lactalis South Africa to make it as easy as possible to do business here, so that we can continue to thrive and expand, boosting economic growth and supporting more jobs for the residents of the Western Cape and South Africa,” notes Western Cape Economic Development for the Western Cape MEC Mireille Wenger.