Tate & Lyle And Long Life Dairy Collaborate To Improve Consumer Access To Dairy

Tate & Lyle’s stabiliser solutions help Long Life Dairy to develop a new range of low cost, long shelf life dairy products enabling more families in South Africa to access the nutritional benefits of dairy.

Tate & Lyle PLC (Tate & Lyle), a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, has worked with Long Life Dairy, a subsidiary of leading dairy manufacturer Unique Dairy, to create a range of low cost, long shelf life products to enable more families with limited access to refrigeration to benefit from dairy.

Dairy, which can provide key nutrients such as calcium and protein, is the most commonly under consumed food group in South Africa after fruit and vegetables1, with experts citing availability and cost as the main barriers to consumption2. Developed using Tate & Lyle’s stabilisers and functional systems, the new range of affordable yoghurt-style dairy snacks, bottled milkshakes and custard pouches do not require refrigeration and are shelf stable for up to one year. In contrast, a typical yoghurt would require refrigeration and have a use by date of up to 30 days.

Tate & Lyle technical service teams in Kya Sand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Lübeck, Germany, worked with Long Life Dairy’s development team to trial different recipe formulations. Using Tate & Lyle’s stabilising ingredient blends, which ensure foods and beverages retain their structure and texture throughout their shelf life, Long Life Dairy trialed products in Tate & Lyle’s pilot plant in Germany before selecting final recipes to take into full-scale production at the manufacturer’s new facility in Pretoria.

Stefan Van der Berg, General Manager, Long Life Dairy, said: “Many dairy products on sale in the South Africa require cold storage and, although ambient shelf life milk and custard are widely available, there are few on-the-go dairy options for immediate consumption. We believe that our new long-life dairy products developed with Tate & Lyle are unique in the South African dairy market, due to their on-the-go format and the innovative stabilisers and functional systems used to deliver nutrition, shelf stability and great taste at an affordable price. Ambient dairy is an exciting new sub-category for our business and we are exploring opportunities to introduce the new range to consumers in other African regions.”

Neels Poerstamper, Technical Support Manager South Africa, Tate & Lyle, said: “Using our innovative stabiliser ingredient blends, we are proud to have helped Long Life Dairy to create an innovative new product range that will help more families to enjoy the benefits of dairy, particularly those without access to cold storage. This product innovation demonstrates how, with customers, we are providing access to nutritious and affordable foods, and delivering on our purpose of Improving Lives for Generations. The packaging, price point and long shelf life make the range particularly attractive to South Africa’s many solo traders, allowing them to capitalise on resale opportunities.”

Tate & Lyle has been working directly with customers in Africa for 10 years, supplying ingredients and tailored ingredient blends that add taste, texture, stability and added nutrition to foods and beverages. Manufacturers in the region have been using its stabilising systems for more than 30 years.

Tate & Lyle’s customer collaborations are coordinated from the Company’s sales representatives in Abidjan, West Africa, Randburg, South Africa, Morocco, the Maghreb, and from Dubai, UAE, as well as through distribution partners. Product development work with customers is carried out across Tate & Lyle’s global network of application labs, but primarily its facilities in Lille, France, and Lübeck, Germany. At its production facility in Kya Sand, Johannesburg, tailored ingredient blends are produced that provide stabilisation and ensure foods and beverages maintain their texture.