FrieslandCampina announces investment program to accelerate growth in high-value whey proteins

FrieslandCampina announces an investment program of more than 90 million euros to strengthen its global position in high‑value whey proteins and further optimize its ingredients production network in the Netherlands. These investments include upgrades at the production sites in Bedum, Veghel, and Workum.

With this program, the business group FrieslandCampina Ingredients is expanding its capacity to convert internally sourced whey – a natural by-product of cheese production – into premium protein ingredients for performance and active nutrition, early life nutrition, and medical nutrition. It includes technological upgrades across multiple production sites to support the manufacture of advanced protein products such as WPC80, instantized whey proteins, and FrieslandCampina’s specialty Nutri Whey^TM ProHeat microparticulated whey. These ingredients are used by food manufacturers in, among other     applications, high‑protein drinks, bars and yoghurts. 

Global demand for high-value whey proteins continues to grow across sports nutrition, lifestyle nutrition and specialized medical applications. This dedicated investment program positions FrieslandCampina and its Ingredients business group to respond to this growth by increasing capacity and strengthening the flexibility of its whey valorization chain.

FrieslandCampina Bedum (Photo © RFC)

Anne Peter Lindeboom, President FrieslandCampina Ingredients, said: “Global demand for advanced protein solutions continues to accelerate. This program is the next step in our broader investment strategy to lead in high-value proteins, building on recent investments to strengthen whey capacity and valorization in the Netherlands such as in Borculo, and in the United States through the acquisition of Wisconsin Whey Protein. By investing across our ingredients network, we are strengthening our ability to serve customers worldwide and to create more value from our whey streams in a sustainable and future-oriented way.”  

These investments strengthen FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ position as a leading supplier of high-value whey proteins, expand the company’s capacity to support customers worldwide with advanced nutrition solutions, and ensure that FrieslandCampina’s facilities in the Netherlands remain competitive, technologically advanced and aligned with future market and customer needs. In doing so, FrieslandCampina is also putting its Doing Dairy Right motto into practice through focused choices for growth, stability and value creation across the value chain.

Sustainability and operational excellence

The investments also contribute to FrieslandCampina’s broader environmental ambitions. The program includes state-of-the-art energy- and water-efficient technologies and the phase-out of older production lines. As a result, Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be reduced by approximately 16 kilotonnes CO₂e, while ensuring continued compliance with Dutch and EU environmental standards.

Timeline

FrieslandCampina will phase the investments over the coming years and expects to reach full operational capacity in 2028. The Works Councils will be kept informed in line with the usual processes as the interventions at the various locations are further developed.