Process
The production process has four main steps from the milk collection in the dairy farms to the retail packed infant formula:
- From farm to factory
- From fresh milk to liquid formula
- From liquid formula to infant formula in powder form
- From infant powder in bulk to retail packed infant formula
Numerous tests are carried out at each stage of production to make sure that the products are compliant with the highest quality standards. The quality of our products is our absolute priority.
The first step of the production process is collecting fresh milk from the farmers. Each farmer is a member of the cooperative and respects very strict rules. For example, each farm is certified by integrated quality insurance. The farms are certified as compliant with a complete set of specifications enabling to insure a good traceability, food safety and great quality. Moreover, our milk is from healthy dairy cows collected on a daily basis.
To avoid any microbiological deviation and enzymatic developments, milk is stored in specific tanks at the farms and transported to the dairy plant in our fleet of refrigerated tanker trucks at a stable temperature of 3°C - 4°C. At our dairy factory, milk is directly stored in big tanks while the laboratory is processing tests to make sure that the compliance requirements are met. Samples are taken to guarantee the traceability.
Once the quality profile control is over, milk is pasteurized in order to destroy any eventual pathogenic micro-organisms while maintaining the milk natural nutritional profile. Afterwards, the needed ingredients are added.
The third step is based on a processing method named “spray drying”. It is a liquid mix process full spray dried allowing the finished product homogeneity, safety and good quality. This “spray drying” method is used for all our products. It is the most important step to distribute our powder products with high quality.
The fresh powder is then packed into big bags after further analysis and stored aside. Powdered milk will be released only with the laboratory agreement after they completed analysis of microbiological, physical and chemical tests. All big bags are stored in warehouses that have been built in compliance with the International Good Manufacturing Standards, enabling the factory to be at the highest quality level for infant formulas manufacturing.
Packing is the last step of the process. We have at our disposal a wide range of packaging so we can meet any market demands. Our quality powders can be packed in 400g, 800g or 900g metal printed tins in a protective atmosphere allowing the powders to be preserved up to three years.
The average time between the milk collection and the packing of the finished products is 72 hours.