Brasil Foods cheese factory opens in Goiás

Brazilian meat group Brasil Foods has opened a BRL30m (US$16.9m) cheese facility that will serve the north of the country.

Operations at the plant in Itumbiara in the state of Goiás will start this month, increasing production by around 1,000 tonnes per month, the firm said.

"We invested more than BRL30m in civil engineering design and procurement of equipment," said Fábio Medeiros, vice president of dairy for Brasil Foods. "The unit will serve mainly the north and north-east regions of the country, and [will produce] Sadia and Santa Rosa mozzarella cheese.

Dobon milk compound, a product marketed exclusively in the North of the country, will also be produced at the site, the company said.

"Brasil Foods is mindful of the continued growth of the dairy sector, especially in the category of cheese, that represents annually about BRL7bn," Medeiros said. "Every year we sell nearly 700,000 tons of cheese in the country, with the predominant share in mozzarella and prato cheeses."