Mozzarella production at Arla Foods' dairy in Poland

Next week will see the start of mozzarella production at Arla Foods’ dairy in Poland.

On May 1, when ten new member countries join the EU, a wide range of trading restrictions as well as export quotas, customs levies and export subsidies will be lifted, opening up new opportunities for trade between the existing and new EU countries.

The changes offer further potential for export from Arla Foods’ dairy in poland. Until now Arla Foods has only been able to export 10% of Poland’s overall cheese export quota to the old EU countries out of a total of 10,000 tons. Consequently, Arla Foods is investing DKK 15 million in a new mozzarella plant at the company’s dairy in Poland.

”Mozzarella consumption is on the increase in Europe and we want to take a greater share of the market,” explains Frede Juulsen, Regional Director in Division Europe. “With our large mozzarella production in Denmark and the expansion in Poland, we will considerably strengthen our position as a mozzarella supplier in the new, enlarged EU.”

The new plant has a capacity for up to 10,000 tons mozzarella per year although commercial production, which will start during the summer, will initially account for only half that. Some of the mozzarella will be sold in large blocks directly to industrial customers with the rest processed in Denmark and sold to the retail sector.

Frede Juulsen views the new Eastern markets with considerable optimism.

”There are some excellent opportunities for Arla Foods in the new EU countries,” he says. However, it won’t happen overnight – it’s something that requires a good deal of hard work and investment.”

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