Food Processing
Dairy Processing & Chilled Storage Facility — Waikato
Farm-gate to export cold chain for a New Zealand dairy cooperative: pasteurisation, chilling, packing and reefer despatch.
Location
Waikato, New Zealand
Capacity
180,000 L/day milk intake · 3,200 m³ chilled storage
Temperature
+2/+4 °C chilled, −18 °C butter/cream freezer
Budget
USD $22M–$30M
Timeline
16 months
Project overview
A South Pacific dairy cooperative tendered a greenfield processing line with ColdMatch Group as procurement lead. The scope integrated raw milk reception, pasteurisation, chilling, packing and reefer despatch under one EPCM structure.
Challenge
- Seasonal peak intake doubles winter volumes — plant must flex.
- MPI and China GACC dual-market compliance from day one.
- Remote site: single-source utility risk on power and water.
Solution
- Two-stage NH3 refrigeration sized for peak season with load-shedding.
- PLC/SCADA architecture aligned to both MPI and GACC audit requirements.
- On-site 2 MW back-up generation and rainwater recovery.
Result
- Peak-season throughput hit within first flush season.
- Zero non-conformities at MPI and GACC pre-shipment audits.
- Energy cost per litre 19% below cooperative's legacy plant.
Scope of works
- Raw milk reception and silos
- Pasteurisation and separation
- NH3 refrigeration and chilled storage
- Butter/cream −18 °C freezer
- Packing line and reefer despatch dock
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