The planned expansion at its Leeuwarden site is being pursued in anticipation of high growth rates in the cultures market.
Growth market
CSK managing director Paul Visschedijk told this publication: “The total culture market is growing worldwide and especially in Central Eastern Europe and Asia a strong growth is observed in fermented dairy products.”
Value added cultured dairy products are expected to be another major source of future sales growth.
At its expanding Leeuwarden plant, Visschedijk said CSK therefore expects to be producing new cultures for flavour differentiation, bio preservation and texture improvement in semi hard and hard cheeses as well as fresh fermented products.
The managing director said such cultures can help manufacturers respond to the food trends of indulgence, clean labelling and health.
Plant construction
The new facility at Leeuwarden is expected to become fully operational at the end of 2014. CSK said the company is determined to build an efficient, aseptic and energy-efficient production location.
Visschedijk said: “In the new plant the latest technologies for culture fermentation will be implemented, including Ehedg standards, energy savings and heat recycling protocols. An important objective is to achieve a high level of sustainability.”
CSK has two manufacturing facilities in the Netherlands. The production of coagulants, cheese coating, colourings, culture media and other processing agents takes place in Leeuwarden. And In Ede CSK manufactures cultures, lactic acid permeate and distillate.