The dairy industry in Nigeria is a highly competitive one. This is not peculiar to this industry, as no industry is fully monopolized. There are a multitude of companies with their unique style of production practices and consumer markets.
Globally, milk products are consumed daily by many people, which in turn provide important nutrients, such as protein, calcium and vitamins B2 and B12, and are regarded as part of a healthy, balanced diet by food authorities from all over the world. With high-quality milk products. The main purpose of any dairy company is to nourish consumers and give them a good living.
Undeniably, managing a dairy firm in Nigeria these days is not an easy feat. From milking the average number of cows per farm; to sustenance of market production; and labour force, just to mention a few.
FrieslandCampina, is a global brand and one of Nigeria’s leading dairy firms.
FrieslandCampina WAMCO has been a key player in Nigeria since 1954, with commitment to Nigeria and its dairy market.
It has successfully provided Nigerians with brands with low cholesterol milk-based breakfast, especially mothers across various locations to care for their hearts and physical well-being.
Ben Langat, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria said “It is our mission to bring affordable and attainable quality dairy products to all Nigerians and meet the growing demand. That’s why we are pleased with this acquisition”.
FrieslandCampina products, such as Peak Milk and Three Crowns are endorsed by the Nigerian Heart Foundation, as the nation’s heart-friendly milk low in cholesterol.
Friesland Campina has not only produced dairy products, it has also engaged in different Community Social Responsibilities, a feat that stands it out.
Dairy products from the firm underline the importance of eating healthy breakfast meals to the wellbeing of consumers, especially mothers who oftentimes undervalue their own needs for a great heart health while prioritizing everyone else in the family.
The dairy firm says it is committed to its vision, to “add value to the dairy industry. Value in nutrition. Value for nature. Value for people. Young and old, consumer and customer, citizen and society”.
“All employees worldwide are focused on adding this value, every day. Our Purpose tells us why we do what we do, and our strategy tells us what to do to realise this purpose”, it added.
The company has painstakingly provided the growing world population with the right nutrients in a sustainable way. This, it says, is one of the challenges for the coming decades. The company has consistently offered trustworthy, relevant and nourishing dairy products, FrieslandCampina’s purpose – nourishing by nature – stands for better nutrition for the world’s consumers, a good living for our farmers, now and for generations to come.
The purpose is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
FrieslandCampina nutrition policy has been globally inclined. “The global activities and objectives of FrieslandCampina concerning better nutrition have been described in the FrieslandCampina nutrition policy. This policy is based on the WHO Global Action Plan and is in line with two of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations: reduce hunger in the world and promote good health and well-being. Our nutrition policy describes basic principles for a healthier product range, responsible communication and lifestyle education programmes.
Additionally, it shows our commitment to make our products and the right nutrients accessible to more people”, the company states.
Expansion has been the long-term vision of all establishments. FrieslandCampina is fulfilling this dream, despite the dwindling economy in the Nation. Sometime back, FrieslandCampina WAMCO purchased Nutricima’s dairy business in Nigeria. In March FrieslandCampina and PZ Cussons signed an agreement regarding the acquisition. Nutricima’s dairy business was integrated into FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC. The acquisition satisfies the need for additional production capacity for FrieslandCampina WAMCO to meet the growing demand for locally produced evaporated and powdered milk by Nigerian consumers.
Nutricima Limited (the “Company”) was founded in Nigeria in 2005 and has earned itself consumer awareness within the dairy industry since then. FrieslandCampina WAMCO has acquired the Company’s production facility in Ikorodu, Lagos State and the brands Olympic, Coast and Nunu, a range of powdered, evaporated and ready to drink milk products. These brands have a good presence across the Nigerian dairy market.
Over the last few years, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has invested significantly in capital expenditure, including a new warehouse and a world-class Learning Academy to build capabilities across functions and to drive talent development. The company commissioned a state of the art plant for local production of Peak Yoghurt, which is directly linked to its highly successful dairy development programme; a major investment that has been at the center of Nigeria’s backward integration in local milk sourcing over the last decade with over 9000 local farmers spread across 5 States in Nigeria.
FrieslandCampina’s activities contribute to eleven of the seventeen United Nations’ SDGs. The United Nations has developed a series of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): seventeen ambitious goals relating to topics such as responsible production and consumption, climate, sustainable communities, health and well-being, and efforts to fight poverty and starvation.
History:
The FrieslandCampina cooperative was established in 1871. Farmers started to realise that they would be stronger if they stood together. Today, 150 years later, the cooperative has 16,995 member dairy farmers who do everything they can for their cows, their land and the good nutrition that we produce for the world on a daily basis. The firm is committed to producing nutritive milk daily, for 365 days per year.
The firm remains one of the first companies to introduce new technology such as the milking parlor, in the global industry trend. What began with that first cheese factory and two cheese vats in 1872 has now grown into one of the most modern dairy industries in the world. Even so, the interests of our member dairy farmers still come first in the cooperative. The company’s profits are still paid out to the owners of the company: our member dairy farmers.
In late December 2008 FrieslandCampina was founded by two great Dutch dairy companies: Friesland Foods and Campina, which developed along similar lines in the 19th and 20th centuries.
It all began in 1871 when farmers joined forces in local cooperative dairy factories. One of the reasons for doing so was the lack of refrigeration. The farmers had to work together to deliver the milk quickly to their customers. Another reason to join forces was to gain more power in the market.
Many of these farms from the 19th century are still with us today, and their farmers are just as firmly anchored in their regions and local communities as were their ancestors. Over the years, together with our FrieslandCampina employees, the member dairy farmers have built an international dairy company that now spans the world.
FrieslandCampina has deep roots in the culture and commerce of the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. It is a global company, but with a focus on local communities and customers. And not just in Europe, but also in many countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle/East, in some of these countries for more than 80 years. The firm’s factories and products have long been a part of daily life in many countries across the globe.
Olamide Adeniji is a member of the editorial board of TheScript Newspapers
