Fonterra <strong>to</strong> expand mozzarellaproduction <strong>to</strong> meet growing demandF o n t e r r a r e c e n t l yannounced its plans <strong>to</strong> invest$72 million at its Clandeboyemozzarella plant as it furtherexpands its global foodservicecapabilities.<strong>The</strong> Clandeboye plantu p g r a d e i s n e e d e d t osupplement Fonterra’s otherplant at Whareroa, the onlyother mozzarella plant inNew Zealand. <strong>The</strong> upgradewill begin in mid-2014 andis due <strong>to</strong> be completed bySeptember 2015.<strong>The</strong> investment is thefinal stage of a technologyupgrade that was installedat Clandeboye in 2008 andwill double the capacityof the Clandeboye plantin Canterbury <strong>to</strong> produceindividual quick frozen (IQF)grated mozzarella.When fully implemented,this will increase Fonterra’sIQF mozzarella capacityacross its two plants in NewZealand <strong>to</strong> over 50,000metric <strong>to</strong>nnes per annum.Additional capacity isrequired <strong>to</strong> meet growinginternational demand in full and quick service restaurants,institutions, hotels, airline catering facilities and othercommercial kitchens. Clandeboye mozzarella is now sold <strong>to</strong>cus<strong>to</strong>mers in Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East.“Mozzarella is different from other cheese in that it has thatextra stretch that is associated with pizzas,” says Fonterra’sClandeboye Operations Manager, Steve McKnight. “Oneof the other differences is the way that it reacts <strong>to</strong> heat, forexample, through a pizza oven <strong>to</strong> get that lovely goldencolour and appearance.”Clandeboye uses a <strong>to</strong>p-secret manufacturing process thatwas developed by the Fonterra Research and DevelopmentCentre and is driving further enhancement of this technologyin partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries.This patented technology means that frozen naturalshredded mozzarella can be made straight from milk in oneday, rather than the two months taken by the conventionalmozzarella Keep calm PONY processes. 14x2GN stage II_- 6/09/13 10:20 AM Page 1Quality control at Clandeboye is a serious chore. Cheese formers Brett Lewis (left) and Mark Hunterare keen <strong>to</strong> help test the cheese at the local fac<strong>to</strong>ry which produces Mozzarella for export. <strong>The</strong>cheese is heated and tested on site for stretch, blister formation and coverage, and run (ie doesthe cheese stay on the pizza base). Pho<strong>to</strong>: Fiona Carmichael.KEEPCALMAND MOVE TOMCKENZIELIFESTYLEVILLAGEA range of pizza <strong>to</strong>ppings and sauces is tested at theClandeboye fac<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong> reflect what the cheese is used for atthe cus<strong>to</strong>mer’s premises.Fonterra direc<strong>to</strong>r of foodservice René Dedoncker says thatgrowth in the global foodservice category is being driven byemerging Asian markets where the category is estimated <strong>to</strong>grow at around 13 per cent annually <strong>to</strong> 2016.“Demand for high-value dairy products like mozzarella isbeing fuelled by changing dietary habits, particularly in Asiawhere there is a significant move <strong>to</strong>ward more Westerniseddiets. For example, there has been dramatic growth in thenumber of pizza restaurants in China where key cus<strong>to</strong>merssuch as Yum! (owners of the Pizza Hut brand) and Domino’sPizza are undertaking aggressive expansion plans in new andexisting markets.”With demand for out-of-home meals increasing annually,Fonterra expects sales in this category <strong>to</strong> grow further.Fiona CarmichaelNever bought a housethat hasn’t been built yet?Not quite sure if you need two bedrooms orthree? Brown, beige or bisque - is there adifference? Keep calm. At McKenzie LifestyleVillage we take care of the details leaving youfree <strong>to</strong> enjoy life. Stage II is now selling.Buy off the plans and we’ll help you fine tuneyour new home in beautiful <strong>Geraldine</strong>.For more information call David Connollynow on 693 8340.M E M B E R O F R V ANEWS iN BRiEFSwarm seasonA bee swarm was captured on camera in an elder treeon Drew and Sally Brown’s foothills property.It was one of two local bee swarms removed bybeekeeper Tim Ex<strong>to</strong>n on Saturday; favourable conditionscould mean the swarming seaon continues until aroundthe end of the year.“<strong>The</strong> warm weather must have got them on themove, most likely from some commercial hives locatednearby, close <strong>to</strong> the river,” says Karen Miles, who <strong>to</strong>okthe pho<strong>to</strong>.<strong>Geraldine</strong> beekeepers who can be contacted for swarmremoval are: Tim Ex<strong>to</strong>n ph 021 141 9142, Noel Tresizeph 693 9771, and Peter Keller ph 693 9283.SubmittedSwarm conditions could continue until the end of the year.Pho<strong>to</strong>: Submitted.Oc<strong>to</strong>ber weather<strong>Geraldine</strong>Highest temp +31ºLowest temp -5ºRainfall 73.9mmGale force winds mid month as everyone will report.scary stuff. <strong>The</strong>y say not <strong>to</strong> plant the garden till labourweekend when frosts are over. It was -2º the day afterlabour weekend.<strong>The</strong> DownsRainfall 66mm.We won’t think about gale force winds in case theyreturn!Te MoanaRainfall 95mm (compared <strong>to</strong> 164mm lastyear)Year <strong>to</strong> date rainfall is 1,035mm, compared <strong>to</strong> last year’scorresponding period 1,120mm.SubmittedCommunity Trust donates$33,000 <strong>to</strong> 14 organisationsAt its most recent meeting, the Community Trust of Mid& South Canterbury approved fourteen donations <strong>to</strong> a widevariety of community groups, <strong>to</strong>talling $33,945.<strong>The</strong> only <strong>Geraldine</strong> organisation <strong>to</strong> receive funding inthis round was the <strong>Geraldine</strong> Toy Library. It got $750 fornew <strong>to</strong>y purchases.<strong>The</strong> Community Trust’s November meeting promises<strong>to</strong> be a big one with about 30 groups seeking funding forprojects.Submitted<strong>The</strong> GERALDINE NEWS, THURSDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2013 5