New Dairy Processing Facility Opens in Winnipeg

From: Food in Canada

Winnipeg – MDI Holdings Corp. officially opened its new state-of-the-art dairy processing facility creating 67 new skilled jobs in the city.

MDI Holdings, says a statement, is a joint venture of BC-based Vitalus Nutrition Inc. and Ontario-based Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd. MDI Holdings is short for Manitoba Dairy Ingredients Holdings Corporation.

The new $100-million dairy facility will process milk from Manitoba and Western Canada. The facility has a current milk processing capacity of up to 180 million litres and will produce a full range of high-value milk proteins, including MPC 85, MPI 90 and buttermilk powders as well as butter. For dairy farmers in Manitoba the new facility is welcome news.

David Wiens, chair of the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, says in the statement that the organization is “excited to have new dairy processing capacity and capabilities in Manitoba and Western Canada as we continue to grow a sustainable dairy industry with our industry partners. Dairy Farmers of Manitoba and the Western dairy farmer organizations are pleased to provide the milk for this leading-edge processing facility.”

The facility took about a year to construct and involved “commissioning specially fabricated production lines and equipment was completed by local engineering and construction firms, supporting the trades sector in Winnipeg and the surrounding area.”

Vitalus Nutrition supplies customized dairy ingredients. The company processes milk and whey into various dairy ingredients such as MPC 80, MPI 90 and VITAGOSTM – an ingredient that is rich in galacto-oligosaccharides. The ingredients are used in baking, confectionery, dairy products, snack foods, instant formula, protein drinks, nutrition bars and other products.

Gay Lea Foods is a dairy co-operative with members on more than 1,300 dairy farms and more than 4,000 members overall. The company processes dairy cow and dairy goat milk into a range of dairy products, such as Spreadables, Smooth Cottage Cheese to Nothing But Cheese.