Following a historic international partnership between leading global organic cooperatives, Organic Valley/CROPP and the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo), the first shipment of UK produced organic UHT milk, has been delivered to China under this collaboration.
Organic Valley, the leading imported organic dairy brand in China, recently transferred the production of its UHT milk bound for China from the US to Europe. This follows recent successful accreditation.
“In 2013 we became the first European organic producer certified to USDA organic standards,” says Richard Hampton, OMSCo’s managing director. “In 2015 we then achieved accreditation to Chinese standards through the Soil Association. Meanwhile, our historic partnership with Organic Valley, also announced last year, has allowed us to look together at ways of using our combined milk pools in the most efficient manner on a global scale,” he adds.
As a result of these developments, OMSCo has agreed to supply milk that is certified organic by both the USDA and Chinese certification bodies to a European processor. The first three consignments, of UHT organic milk in one litre Organic Valley branded bottles, have arrived in the ports of Tianjin, Shanghai and Shenzhen and have been distributed to retail outlets throughout China.
Organic Valley has established markets that can be leveraged for the growth of international organics through cooperation. “The marketing agreement we have with Organic Valley demonstrates the huge benefits that can be gained with cooperation,” explains Richard. “Our strategy remains to supply quality raw milk and specialist ingredients to strategic customers under long term arrangements, rather than distribute and sell retail products in these markets.
“Organic Valley is the largest imported organic dairy brand in China, a country with strong market growth potential and low penetration of organic products. This partnership offers both cooperatives huge growth potential, fulfilling orders with certified USDA milk,” says Richard.
“Chinese certified UHT organic milk adds to our growing portfolio of products in international markets, and gives us great confidence in the future of UK organic dairying. Our global approach to marketing has proved to be hugely successful and continues to go from strength to strength,” he adds.
For Organic Valley, the arrangement gives the US cooperative greater flexibility to meet both domestic and international markets – as well as regulatory and supply chain requirements – more sustainably and profitably.
“The market for certified organic milk continues to grow at home and abroad,” says Organic Valley CEO George Siemon. “Cooperation between two of the world’s largest USDA organic milk pools is a great way to serve growing global demand and its complexities.”
Ongoing production runs are planned for 2016, to meet the demand for organic UHT milk in China, which is seeing a rise in demand partly due to the confidence in USDA organic standards, which OMSCo is able to meet with milk produced in the UK.
