Photo: Supplied
Waikato dairy co-operative Tatua plans to double production of its cream-based products with a new factory expansion.
The farmer-owned co-op has invested $85 million into the construction project its board first approved in April.
Tatua manufactured products like sour cream and mascarpone from milk supplied by 101 farms within a 12-kilometre radius of the factory.
It exported around 90 percent of what it produced there to top export markets China and Japan.
Chief executive Brendhan Greaney said there was more demand in New Zealand and abroad than it could supply.
"This is quite a significant investment for us, at circa 85 million [dollars], it's our largest investment to date," Greaney said.
"We're essentially doubling the capacity of what we call our foods plant and that's where we manufacture cream-based consumer and food service products. So that's sour cream, crème fraîche, mascarpone, whipping cream - all those sorts of products."
He said 40-or-so new staff will join the factory's 432 current employees, and they will filter in over the coming months.
But for now, he said the factory was a busy construction site with work well and truly underway.
"Right now, it's very much a construction zone. So the ground works are done, the cranes are out there, there's precast panelling or walls going up now and it's starting to take shape. It's very exciting.
"We're on time, we're on budget as well, which is a good place to be."
Greaney said the project will be completed in August 2025.
The company will lock-in its final milk price for last season in early October alongside its annual financial results - with the current indicative cash payout for shareholders sitting at $10.20 per kilogram of milk solids.
