UNIFOOD is a subsidiary of the largest New Zealand dairy producer Fonterra. The company was founded in St. Petersburg in 2017 and has a unique production site for butter and cheese processing. UNIFOOD delivers butter under Anchor and Doyarushka trademarks, and also supplies block butter, proteins, dehydrated milk fat and other high-tech NZMP ingredients to facilities across Russia.

On September 19, representatives of the company met with ITMO scientists conducting research in the field of food biotechnology (milk, butter, ice cream, and bakery) and studying automation of food processing. The company’s production manager Dmitry Philiptsov told ITMO University’s professors and associate professors about the manufacturing process features and the advanced technologies of Fonterra. Quality and food safety engineer Elena Bendenko, a graduate of ITMO University’s SCAMT Laboratory, held a butter tasting, which gave everyone an opportunity to try a New Zealand product.

According to Anastasia Pavlova, a quality manager at UNIFOOD and a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Food Biotechnologies and Engineering, the collaboration between UNIFOOD and ITMO University opens up new opportunities for both business development and university students.

“We are waiting for innovative ideas, interesting proposals for our products and ingredients. We are ready to conduct joint research projects, provide places for practical training and support young scientists carrying out research in the field of protein use in various sectors of the food industry,” says Anastasia Pavlova.

The main areas of cooperation were formulated at the meeting between Igor Baranov and Konstantin Mandelstam, which took place at ITMO University on September 23. UNIFOOD is interested in creating new formulations using milk protein concentrates and other milk ingredients, researching unique properties of New Zealand butter, supporting new educational programs in the field of sports nutrition, as well as sharing experience and knowledge.

According to Daria Mironova, head of ITMO University’s Marketing Research Office , the company’s interest in research, new products development and attracting students and young scientists to such projects will allow both organizations to raise production efficiency, as well as to develop scientific and educational activities.

Translated by Pavel Vorobyev