FrieslandCampina Gerkesklooster 125th Anniversary was celebrated on September 27, highlighting the evolution of the company’s largest cheese production site in the Netherlands. The plant is situated between Groningen and Friesland and currently takes in meadow milk and converts it into over 60 different kinds of cheeses with an annual production capacity exceeding 90 million kilos.
It started as a small butter and cheese production experience and has developed to be one of the most sophisticated dairy production plants in Europe. Currently, it has approximately 170 employees and is able to make twice and a half of the amount of cheese in a day compared to its operational first year.
Growth And Transformation
Gerkesklooster has grown over the decades by a number of acquisitions with other neighbouring dairy plants. Production of butter was discontinued in 1998 and production of milk powder in 2020. This has since shifted to cheese production and fibers to Valess with current daily production being 200,000 kilos of cheese.
The plant was also reconstructed after a tremendous fire in 2014 that was restructured with new technologies and automated processes. FrieslandCampina has gone ahead to invest in sustainable practices such as water management systems and the commission of a new milk receiver, which will be commissioned next year.
Celebrating History
The event on 125th anniversary attracted employees with their families and local dairy farmers. To celebrate the achievement, FrieslandCampina published a special book which reflects the history of Gerkesklooster, starting with its genesis as a small cooperative centre to its status as a contemporary dairy innovation centre.
The anniversary can be said to be a heritage and innovative move. Gerkesklooster has continued to play a significant role in the supply chain of FrieslandCampina and adjusted to demand changes in consumers, technology and sustainability demands.
Future Outlook
Gerkesklooster is a strategically located center of the FrieslandCampina cheese production network with its size and investments. The focus on the high volume delivery, sustainability, and efficiency makes the facility a major player in supplying dairy and supermarket cheese categories to the European market across the globe.
FrieslandCampina Gerkesklooster 125th Anniversary underlines the importance of long-term investment in dairy production and its role in ensuring stable supply for the global supermarket sector.
