Infant nutrition company Ausnutria Dairy has agreed to purchase a 50% stake in Dutch cheese producer Amalthea. 

Amalthea produces semi-hard goat and organic cow cheese, while Ausnutria specialises in infant nutrition based on goat’s milk.

Ausnutria and Amalthea had already been working together prior to the deal; however, the acquisition will enable the companies to combine their strengths and provide more people with access to goat milk. 

The companies own the CleardMilk formula, which has been specially developed to break down goat’s milk into separate components such as whey and cream using a sophisticated filtration system. 

Bart van der Meer, CEO of Ausnutria Dairy Corporation, said: “By combining optimal milk production with our joint knowledge, innovations and products, we, as Ausnutria, are able to seize new opportunities and reach new markets together with Amalthea”.

Joop de Groot, CEO of Amalthea, added: “The intensified collaboration is in line with our mission to get all the ‘miracles’ out of milk. A logical step that contributes to our striving for a complete valorisation of the milk flows and to increase the flexibility in applications of the milk. The complete utilisation of all milk components is also important for the realisation of Amalthea’s sustainability agenda. At the same time, this collaboration offers our cooperative, suppliers and customers further growth opportunities.”

Amalthea says it will remain active as an independent party in the marketing of semi-hard goat and organic cow cheese specialities, soft and white cheese and CleardMilk.

The transaction is subject to approval by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets.