7.3.3 Stage 3: Product commercialisation

An early survey of the market had indicated that there was a real opportunity in the acid beverage market for drinks, which at the same time as satisfying thirst, offered on a credible base increased endurance or performance to sports people. A prime key target was the USA, a large wealthy market where sports and exercise were widespread and glamorous. Investigation showed a potential business that could grow to over $10 million of sales annually. Samples were prepared and sent for assessment to markets in the USA, Europe and Japan. These confirmed the concept of initial concentration on the USA and that the financial outcomes should be favourable. A strategy was prepared to pursue a staged plant development programme so that production and demand could increase in parallel.

The Food Technology Research Centre set up a model beverage system, developed by the New Zealand Dairy Board's North American subsidiary, and this was used to screen further samples as they emerged from the technical programme. They were also screened in the prospective markets in North America and elsewhere. Feedback from the screening was used to guide the continuing product and process developments. The feedback also confirmed good market acceptability for the product. With that, the directors of Whey Products New Zealand Ltd approved sufficient capital expenditure for a manufacturing plant at the site of one of the major operating dairy companies.

There was a great deal of design and planning to be undertaken, some of the plant being more or less standard equipment but some of it requiring novel features including high precision in operating and control detail. Engineers were engaged to design and to build and commission the required plant, which incorporated new and proprietary technology to meet demanding specifications. Final development of the ion exchange process was continued to meet the necessary deadlines. Also work was continued on aspects of the product protein functionality that was so critical to success on the market. Activities had to be undertaken in parallel and in sequence, and the necessary information, and a satisfactory trial product, had to be available as and when needed to move smoothly to the ensuing steps of the programme.

Coordination of the entire project was from Whey Products New Zealand Ltd. It was able to call on the vertically integrated New Zealand dairy industry as might be needed from time to time. The team included expertise in customer requirements, marketing, protein chemistry, ion-exchange technology and technical aspects of proteins for acid beverages, industrial whey powder manufacture, and product evaluation and model food system testing. A full manufacturing scale plant was built, installed and commissioned. Production duly started on time and on budget.