New Zealand-based dairy co-operative Fonterra has started production at its new cream cheese plant in Canterbury.

The facility will have the annual capacity to produce up to 24,000 metric tonnes of cream cheese that will be supplied to the Chinese market.

According to the company, due to changing demographics in China the demand for western food has increased.

The 20kg blocks of cream cheese from Darfield is estimated to meet the increasing demand for bakery goods such as cheesecakes and cheese tarts.

Fonterra Global Foodservice Marketing general manager Susan Cassidy said: “People in China want natural dairy products they can trust in their baked goods. That’s great for Fonterra and New Zealand.”

“Today, one in four litres of milk from New Zealand is sold to China – that’s the equivalent of 3.4 billion litres a year.”

Cassidy also added that the rapid urbanisation and changing consumer tastes among China’s middle class has led to an increase in the demand for dairy products in New Zealand.

Fonterra Global Operations chief operating officer Robert Spurway said that the new plant is part of the company’s strategy to produce more products for its Consumer and Foodservice segments.

Spurway said: “Today, one in four litres of milk from New Zealand is sold to China – that’s the equivalent of 3.4 billion litres a year. Our focus is on creating the highest return from each of those litres.

“The new plant will enable us to convert more milk to high-value cream cheese, which is in popular demand. We’re really proud of our technology, which alters the firmness and consistency of cream cheese according to customer preference.”

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