Royal A-ware will officially take over FrieslandCampina's milk powder factory in Aalter on 1 November. This has been announced by both parties.
The intention to sell the Aalter powder activities by FrieslandCampina to A-ware was announced in December 2020, but the ending took much longer to arrive than expected. Partly because the unbundling of the powder factory in Aalter took quite some time (the factory was part of a larger FrieslandCampina complex) and because permission was required from the Belgian competition authority.
A-ware started recruiting dairy farmers around Aalter last spring. Milk reception has started since July. Several hundred Belgian dairy farmers have now registered to supply A-ware. Most of them come from Milcobel. A smaller part also comes from other processors, including FrieslandCampina Belgium.
Additional investment in the factory
A-ware is happy with the takeover, says CEO Jan Anker. "The milk powders from Aalter are known for their high quality, the employees have a lot
knowledge of and experience in making powders, and Aalter is located in an area with the availability of high-quality milk." The new owner plans to invest additionally in the factory to be able to respond even better to the demand of the customers.
Also FrieslandCampina continues to invest in the part of Aalter that remains hers, the company reports. Aalter is FrieslandCampina's most important location for the production of long-life dairy drinks for the European market.