UK – Multinational dairy cooperative, FrieslandCampina has entered the ready-to-drink coffee market in the UK with the launch of a new range of Barista Coffee Co drinks.
FreislandCampina has released Barista Coffee in two variants; Caramel Latte and Caffe Latte available in 250 ml cans. The company plans to introduce additional flavours before the end of the year.
With the launch, FrieslandCampina hopes to disrupt the £355 million (US$411 million) flavoured milk drinks market of which coffee based drinks are worth £103 million (US$126 million), growing at 24% – faster than both traditional, and health and protein milk drinks.
Wayne Thompson, customer marketing manager at Friesland Campina, said, “Year on year, ready to drink coffee added more absolute value to the drinks category than any other segment, so it makes absolute sense that we’d move into this space.
Our commitment lies with our retailers. We want to ensure we’re giving them the tools they need to sell soft drinks successfully, and drive profitability.
“We’re really proud to have Barista Coffee Co. as part of the FrieslandCampina portfolio and are excited that we’re able to offer such an innovative range of products.”
Partnership with United Dairymen of Arizona
FrieslandCampina has also partnered with US dairy cooperative United Dairymen of Arizona (UDA) to bring lactoferrin to the market.
Lactoferrin is a naturally occurring iron-binding protein found in milk that is known for its anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and immunological properties.
The partnership has a capacity to produce 10 tons of lactoferrin per year and both companies see this as an opportunity for further collaboration.
“Partnering with FrieslandCampina has been an honor for our cooperative. The fact that they’ve chosen Arizona milk to contribute to their global lactoferrin business is very exciting.
“We are very proud of our farmers for their commitment to animal care, without which we wouldn’t get such high-quality milk” says Keith Murfield, CEO of UDA.
Kathy Fortmann, President of FrieslandCampina Ingredients added, “we are excited about the new partnership because of the common values, history and structure of our companies, and it fits our strategic ambitions on lactoferrin.
“Our technology and extensive experience, combined with the high-quality milk of UDA, will ensure a product that meets global quality – and regulatory requirements for early life nutrition.”
FrieslandCampina expects to announce further lactoferrin capacity expansion plans soon.
