Export potential for health focused flavoured milk — Exporter Magazine
Christchurch-based New Zealand Dairy Brands believes it is a world leader in its sector in the production of health products with the launch of its highly innovative Go Milk flavoured milks.
The range has no added sugar, a low GI (glycaemic loading) and is low fat, making it suitable for diabetics and excellent in the fight against obesity. The product was a recent finalist in the NZIFST awards in the product innovation category.
Just released on New World and Pak n Save supermarket shelves in New Zealand, a trial export shipment of Go Milk has already been sent to China and the product is destined for the Australian market also.
Over a year in testing, Go Milk has been approved by the Canterbury District Health Board’s Diabetes Research team as suitable for use by diabetics validating the no added sugar claims.
Vladan Vukovic, director of New Zealand Dairy Brands, said that the flavoured milk powder’s many health benefits are matched by its ease of use and versatility.
“You only have to add water and you have a beautiful low fat, 97% pure, milk drink. Because it is sold in single serve sachets in powder form it is ideal for school lunches, work, outdoors, holiday homes and a large number of other applications, as you only need to add water.
“Because you only need a refrigerator once the water has been added, it is also ideal for warm climates and has many rural applications due to its long shelf life. Rural Australia would make a great market for this product because of the temperatures and the vastness of the country and sparseness of towns and cities,” he said.
By nature, milk is a rich source of calcium and natural protein, and by using a zero calorie natural sweetener from the stevia plant in South America, we deliberately avoided added sugar as we see sugar avoidance as a growing market trend.
“We have done exhaustive field tests, including schools, sports clubs, a hospital and school camps. The reaction has been extremely positive. It is virtually identical to the taste and texture of liquid, sugar sweetened flavoured milks” he said.
A Yugoslavian by birth, Vukovic and his wife Natasa, came to New Zealand after their family packaging company was destroyed by a misfired missile during the Yugoslavian crisis of the late 1990s. Highly skilled in the technical aspects of the food blending and packaging industry, Vladan first worked for a milk processing company in New Zealand before setting up his own business.
“While flavoured milk is traditionally consumed by children, there is the capacity for real growth in the adult market with global demand for flavoured milks of all types anticipated to increase by 60% over the next three years.
“Because Go Milk is a health focused drink it can only be good for the welfare of New Zealand, especially in the established children’s market, and also for diabetics,” he said.
Go Milk comes in three flavours – banana, chocolate and strawberry and is manufactured in Christchurch by New Zealand Dairy Brands parent company – Wimpex Ltd. Wimpex holds a Dairy Export RMP licence, issued by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries and is a licensed dairy exporter and also an accredited dairy manufacturer with the Government of the People’s Republic of China. It also operates under a Ministry approved Food Safety Programme for non-dairy product lines
Wimpex specialises in the toll processing and contract packaging of dry powder and granulated food and manufactures some 10 million retail units per annum for some of Australasia’s best known supermarket brands.
Wimpex’s 11 highly sanitised and environmentally controlled packaging and blending rooms are equipped with some of the highest capacity packaging lines in New Zealand under the control of a highly qualified dedicated quality team. “We take our responsibility as a manufacturer of food very seriously,” says Vladan.
