Germany’s Hochwald Dairy is planning on investing EUR100m over three years in “products that create value and in export markets,” notes managing director Dr Heinz Engel. This includes extending the Thalfang export plant for EUR7.5m, and the cheeseworks in Hunfeld for another EUR16m. The monies for the latter plant will bring its capacity up to 400m kg per year, which manufactures pasta filata and mozzarella for both the German and the export markets.
Hochwald’s 2010 processing volumes rose to more than two billion kilograms of milk and equity capital has increased to EUR123.2m, amounting to 36.3% of total assets. The 10% increase in turnover was attributable to revenue from Allgauer Alpenmilch, with its labels Barenmarket, Lunebest and Glucklee and with improved turnover from the Hochwald regional brand.
The company also credited exports to more than 117 countries for the one-third increase in overall turnover of EUR1.16bn. For the future, Dr Engel says, plans are afoot to increase production to three billion kilograms per year, via investment in growth markets or growing products, such as aerosol cream, condensed milk or ready-to-drink products.