Fonterra, Nestlé Open Dairy Distribution Center in Brazil

ARARAS, Brazil Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited and Nestlé, through joint venture Dairy Partners Americas (DPA), have opened a dairy distribution center in Brazil. The $45 million (NZD) facility has been built on the same site as the Dairy Partners Americas Araras factory that  makes a variety of chilled dairy products, including yogurts, desserts and cream cheese.

More than 200,000 metric tons of dairy products, destined for delivery across Brazil, are expected to pass through the distribution center per year. Combining the production and cooling site with the distribution facility will offer considerable energy savings, reducing the amount of diesel required for transport by approximately 150,000 liters and saving 400 tons of CO₂ per year.

Brazil is an important market for Fonterra. Rapid urban growth and a focus on healthy nutrition are driving demand for dairy products and we continue to invest significantly in the region through our partnership with Nestlé and by developing selected milk pools," said Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings. The new centre enables us to lower distribution costs and move product quickly across the country. And it is leading the way in sustainability using efficient systems, reducing gas emissions and waste, and increasing recycling and the safety of our people."

Fonterras Latin American footprint drives more than 900,000 metric tons of volume per year and $3.4 billion (NZD) in revenue from consumer dairy, foodservice and high value ingredients. As well as extending Fonterras business portfolio, the DPA partnership also enables the cooperative to work with dairy farms in the region to improve milk quality, safety and sustainability.

Set up in 2003, Dairy Partners Americas is the largest dairy company in South America, purchasing and processing some 2 billion liters of milk each year in Brazil alone. DPA produces ingredients and consumer products with strong brands in the liquid and chilled dairy market throughout Latin America.

The alliance incorporates two businessesa consumer chilled and liquid products business and a milk procurement and milk powder and ingredients manufacturing business. Fonterra licenses brands and provides its large-scale milk procurement, product development, and manufacturing and processing expertise, as well as technical services and certain technology to the alliance. Nestlé licenses brands and provides its product development, manufacturing and processing expertise, as well as distribution infrastructure to the alliance. DPA operates eight factories in the country and provides employment for 2,600 people.