Executive summary
Mlekpol dairy cooperative, one of the largest producers of milk and dairy products in Poland and Europe, has been cooperating with Utz since 2014. The cooperation resulted in the production of containers for ripening and storing hard cheeses. The containers were tailored to Mlekpol's specific requirements and allowed optimization of production and storage processes.
The client
Mlekpol is a leading dairy cooperative in Poland and Europe, known for its high quality dairy milk and dairy products. The company places great emphasis on customer satisfaction and is constantly improving its processes to meet the changing needs of its customers. The cooperative consists of 13 production facilities.
In 2023, the company produced record revenues of about PLN 7 billion. The following product groups account for the largest share of Mlekpol's revenue:
- UHT milk,
- Milk powder,
- Cheeses, including hard cheese.
Production capacity for hard cheeses at Mlekpol is impressive. The Mrągowo plant has the largest cheese-making line in Poland, which is used to produce maturing cheeses and Dutch and Swiss-type hard cheeses. It can process about three million liters of milk and whey per day. In comparison, the Kolno production line can process up to 400,000 liters of milk daily, yielding an impressive 41 tons of cheese every day.
The challenge
Mlekpol specializes in producing hard cheeses, crafted in the convenient "euroblock" format. A typical block of cheese is a cuboid that measures 500x300x100mm and weighs 15 to 20kg. In this form, the cheese matures after leaving the production line. This lasts, depending on the type of cheese, usually from about 40 to 60 days. During ripening, the cheese gives off gases such as carbon dioxide and ammonia, which must be properly exchanged with the environment. This process affects the structure of the cheese, including the formation of holes. Bacterial cultures and other microorganisms begin to grow in the cheese, affecting its flavor, aroma and texture. As a result of these phenomena, the block of cheese undergoes a transformation in shape. - it ceases to be a perfect cuboid. Its walls become rounded. And this is not optimal and desirable if the block of cheese will be sliced or cut into smaller "blocks". So, a task arose: how to maintain the perpendicular shape of the euroblock during the ripening process?
The solution
Utz has developed a solution to meet Mlekpol's needs, designing special containers for cheese storage and ripening. They were designed to meet all technical requirements, including automated loading and unloading, as well as optimal space utilization in the ripening room and warehouse. The solution also made it easier to transport cheese within the company. The containers' stable walls reduce the risk of cheese blocks rounding to a minimum.
Manufactured by Georg Utz, the cheese container has external dimensions compatible with a euro pallet of 1200x800mm - on such a pallet, four containers can be placed on a single layer. On the other hand, its internal dimensions have been optimally matched to the size of the cheese euroblock.
The bottom and walls have holes through which the gases emitted by the cheese during ripening are discharged. Cheese in containers is placed on a pallet in 12 layers. For the duration of cheese ripening, pallets with containers are stacked. The containers can be easily washed and quickly dried in automatic washing lines.
Customer testimonial
“Utz enabled us to be fully involved in the process, from the design of the containers to their manufacture and delivery. In this way, our vision of ripening and storing cheese in practical and large reusable packaging on Euro pallets came to fruition.”
- Przemysław Łepkowski, Investment Expert, Mlekpol
Key takeaways
- Configurable and efficient: Utz container solutions can be customized to meet specific customer needs, helping Mlekpol achieve both operational and logistical goals.
- Strong partnership: The collaboration between Mlekpol and Utz exemplifies the strength of the strategic partnership in providing customized, high-performance solutions for the dairy industry.
Looking for a custom solution?
Speak to our expert to discuss your individual needs, we’ll develop a solution matching your requirements.
Request consultation