A NEW ERA FOR DAIRY INNOVATION Business group: VCI Program: Co-investment I & II o Dedicated innovation centre to position dairy at the forefront of manufacturing research o $15 million investment over three years The opening of Australia’s premier centre for dairy manufacturing science, technology and innovation has begun an entirely new era of research for the Australian dairy industry. Dairy Innovation Australia opened in Werribee, Victoria on 8 January 2007. The centre will enable the dairy industry to stay at the forefront of manufacturing research. The centre’s objective is to deliver commerciallydriven science and technology that has a measurable impact and benefit to dairy companies and the industry. It will invest more than $15 million over the next three years to generate innovations in bulk processing and bulk ingredients; functional foods and ingredients; and cheese starters and fermented products. Dairy Australia is the centre’s major investor. Joining Dairy Australia in the initiative are the Geoffrey Gardiner Foundation and key dairy companies. Full members are Bega Cheese, Burra Foods, Murray Goulburn, Tatura Milk Industries and Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory, while Dairy Farmers, National Foods and Parmalat will invest in particular services of interest. The centre was formed by the merger of the Dairy Process Engineering Centre, Australian Starter Culture Research Centre, UHT Centre, Australian Cheese Technology Program, and Dairy Ingredients Group of Australia. The smooth merger process is a testament to the professionalism of staff within these organisations and the industry’s continued collaborative spirit which will enable the centre to be the prime provider of science and innovation services for Australian dairy companies as well as a major catalyst for industry growth.
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