(April 19, Beijing) Mr. Rahul Colaco, President FrieslandCampina China, and Mr. Coen Wantenaar, a dairy farmer member of FrieslandCampina, were invited to represent the Dutch dairy industry at the 2018 International Forum on Food Safety and Health in Beijing. They shared the unique advantages and innovative measures that FrieslandCampina, as a cooperative dairy company, brings in terms of safety and quality from the perspectives of the dairy company and ranch.

Mr. Rahul Colaco, President FrieslandCampina China, shares FrieslandCampina’s experience

On the morning of April 19, the 2018 International Forum on Food Safety and Health was officially held at the Beijing Friendship Hotel. More than 90 experts and business representatives from more than 20 countries and regions, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States and Canada, gathered together to exchange and discuss the latest research results and trends in food safety, nutrition and health.

As one of the world’s largest exporters of dairy products, the Netherlands has earned a reputation for superior agricultural technology and regional advantages. Both Rahul Colaco and Coen Wantenaar expressed that one of the secrets of the Dutch dairy industry’s success is that enterprises and dairy farmers are linked through cooperatives, by which they share benefits, adhere to food safety fundamentals, and continue to provide consumers with safe and healthy products.

Coen Wantenaar explains the ranch operation management

Mr. Wantenaar, 39, runs a 70-hectare family farm in the Netherlands. Beginning with his grandfather who started the ranch 80 years ago, Mr. Wantenaar is a third-generation dairy farmer. Today, the ranch has 160 dairy cows. “The cows are like our own children. Our day-to-day work is to make them all healthier and happier.” He commented that he first needs to ensure that the cattle consume high-quality, nutrient-rich feed. More than 90% of what they eat is produced on the ranch and tested by specialized laboratories. The remaining 10%, which is bought in, is specially formulated for optimum quality and nutrition.

“We strive to create a good living environment for the cattle. On average, each cow has nearly half a hectare of space in which to move around. In addition, we strictly control the ranch’s temperature and moisture levels. When the cattle are cared for in a stable environment they produce good returns, including the quality and quantity of the milk they make,” said Mr. Wantenaar.

Mr. Coen Wantenaar attends the 2018 International Forum on Food Safety and Health and interacts with the media

“The true owners of FrieslandCampina have always been the 20,000-plus dairy farmers,” said Gao Ruihong. The income sources of these farmers, as both the owners of the company and the raw milk providers, include raw milk sales as well as company’s profit distributions. Premium quality of not only the raw milk but also the dairy products is the shared objective of both the dairy farmers and the company. “The better the product quality, the better the company’s performance, and the higher our earnings,” said Wantenaar.

FrieslandCampina protects the interests of the dairy farmers across the following two aspects: (i) providing a guaranteed milk price that is higher than the average market price based on global milk prices and the status quo of the market; (ii) maximizing the milk value through in-depth exploration and optimized product portfolios. It distributes 45% of the company’s profit to dairy farmers, while the remaining 55% remains in the company for product development, strategic investment and so forth, to ensure its sustainable development.

“We must ensure the interest of not only the company, but also that of the dairy farmers. One of our missions is to help dairy farmers lead a better life, for present and future generations,” emphasized Mr. Rahul Colaco.

Mr. Rahul Colaco attends the 2018 International Forum on Food Safety and Health and interacts with the media

In discussions held at the Entrepreneur Summit on the morning of April 19, Rahul Colaco shared his initiatives in the new era of food safety, including continuously adhering to a safety baseline, enhancing the development of nutrition and health products, and raising the standards and requirements for sustainable development.

Founded in 1871, FrieslandCampina has not only become one of the world’s largest dairy-product companies, but also the largest Dutch dairy-product company. Moreover, it is the only Dutch dairy-product company to have been bestowed the title “Royal”. FrieslandCampina provides nutritious dairy products for over one billion consumers worldwide every day. It has more than 10,000 self-owned ranches and 20,000 member dairy farmers in Europe, and its products are sold in more than 100 countries and regions. In China, “Friso Care”, originally a FrieslandCampina brand of infant milk-powder imported from the Netherlands, and locally produced “Dutch Lady” infant-formula milk-powder are highly popular with a vast number of consumers. In addition, FrieslandCampina sells raw ingredients to medium- and large-sized Chinese dairy companies. It also operates and distributes black and white evaporated milk, black and white pure milk, cheese, butter and other products for the catering market.