Synlait to establish Palmerston North R&D facility

Synlait will establish a research and development centre in Palmerston North, New Zealand, focusing on the development of new milk products, processing technology and packaging.

The company will be partnering with Massey University and FoodPILOT, one of the largest collections of pilot-scale food processing equipment in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Our goal is to become more profitable and diversified. Investing in our own research and development centre is an opportunity to explore new and unique ways to make the most from milk,” said John Penno, Synlait’s managing director. “We will be developing intellectual property across our value chain, which aims to maximise value at every step, beginning behind the farm gate all the way through to providing market access for our customers.”

Initially, the centre is planned to employ food technologists and engineers, and Roger Schwarzenach, general manager of innovation and technical services, claims employees will include some of the best scientific, technical and commercial minds. They will work alongside others at Synlait Dunsandel, using sophisticated processing technology that aims to change the future of the company.

“This centre will have a real impact on Synlait’s future. The team will help us launch new high-returning dairy categories, bring new product options to market and contribute to ever-improving product quality,” stated Penno.

The company will invest $7 million this financial year, and the Palmerston North research facility makes up part of this commitment to growing its research and development capabilities. Synlait suggested the plan is to double investment over the next two years.

“This is the first step for us as we progress towards new products, categories and markets in the future. We will need our capability in this area to continue evolving so we stay ahead of the game,” said Penno.