Generating solutions

Aged cheddar is a classic of cheese boards, pairing with everything from apple pie to zinfandel. Parmalat Canada is the number one producer of premium-quality aged cheddar that has been winning many cheese contests including the 2016 world cheese championship. Demand for aged cheddar is projected to steadily increase in the future, requiring Parmalat to increase its manufacturing capacity. Trade deals (such as CETA) make it more urgent for Parmalat Canada to gain efficiency and protect its market share.

To achieve this goal, Parmalat Canada is working with Dr. Gisele LaPointe of the University of Guelph, a well-known scientist in the field, to validate and implement metagenomic, metaproteomic and metabolomics tools modified to meet the technical requirements of cheese production. The project will improve manufacturing processes and controls to overcome current bottlenecks and significantly increase the production capacity of high-quality, competitive aged cheddar cheese.

With over 120 years of brand heritage in the Canadian dairy industry, Parmalat Canada is committed to the health and wellness of Canadians and markets a variety of high-quality food products that help them keep balance in their lives. Parmalat Canada produces milk and dairy products, fruit juices, cultured products, cheese products and table spreads, employing more than 3,000 people, with 16 operating facilities across the country.

This project will bring the Canadian knowledge base related to cheese making processes into a new era. With increased production of high quality cheese, Parmalat will contribute even more to the Canadian economy. At the same time, our dairy farmers will benefit significantly from the increased demand for and utilization of Canadian milk and increased revenues for dairy farmers of about $28 million a year.