Originally published by Tempo.co
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – PT Frisian Flag Indonesia (FFI) has officially opened a new factory in Sukamahi village, Cikarang district, Bekasi regency. The factory, which covers an area of 25.4 hectares with an investment value of €257 million or Rp3.8 trillion, is said to be the largest production investment in the world for Friesland Campina, the parent company of PT FFI.
The new plant will process 400,000 kilograms of milk per day or 700 million kilograms of dairy products per year, with the potential to grow to 1 billion kilograms. The types of milk produced are fluid milk and sweet condensed milk.
PT FFI president director Berend van Wel said the construction of this factory is aimed at increasing milk consumption in Indonesia. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in 2021 showed that milk consumption in Indonesia was 16.27 kilograms per capita per year. This is lower than Malaysia’s 50 kilograms per capita per year, Thailand’s 44 kilograms per capita per year, and the Philippines’ 24 kilograms per capita per year.
“The most important point for us behind the opening of this factory is how we can contribute to the health and nutrition of the Indonesian people,” Berend said at the opening ceremony.
Andrew Saputro, corporate affairs director of PT FFI, said Friesland Campina had twice published studies called Southeast Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS), in 2012 and 2022.
The second study showed that one in four Indonesian children suffered from stunted growth. This study motivated PT FFI to participate in addressing Indonesia’s nutritional challenges. “With this new factory, we can provide more nutritious dairy products to Indonesian families,” he said.
The Cikarang FFI factory is the third factory built by PT FFI since the first factory in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta in 1971 and the third factory in Ciracas, East Jakarta in 1972. Meanwhile, the Frisian Flag, also known as Susu Bendera, has been available in the Indonesian market since 1922.
