Qatari dairy and beverage producer Baladna has installed a filling machine from aseptic carton supplier SIG.
The CFA 312 filling machine will allow Baladna to offer white cheese in SIG’s combibloc Slimline carton packs.
Capable of filling four different volume sizes, the machine can also be used for filling juice and dairy products in 1l carton packs, as well as white cheese in 500ml carton packs.
SIG Middle East and Africa president and general manager Abdelghany Eladib said: “Locally produced white cheese in carton packs is a first for the Qatari market.
“Previously, white cheese was imported from neighbouring countries and mainly available here in plastic packaging.
“We are very proud to continue our partnership with Baladna with this exciting innovation.”
According to SIG, Baladna’s mobile unit is compatible with SIG’s CFA 312 filling machine and is integrated externally with the machine.
This enables the CFA 312’s filling unit to fill other dairy products and juices aseptically.
Cheese is initially filled into the carton pack in liquid form with the other required ingredients, before coagulating inside the pack.
Baladna CEO Malcolm Jordan said: “Our investment in innovation and close partnership with SIG continues to deliver excellent value for our consumers.
“We’re proud to offer locally produced white cheese in carton packs to the Qatari market, locally filled for the first time.
“Offering white cheese in aseptic carton packs means differentiation and is another example of our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, as carton packs are a more sustainable choice.”
Last week, South African dairy product manufacturer Fair Cape Dairies added SIG’s CFA 812 filling machine to its operations.
The CFA 812 filling machine will allow Fair Cape Dairies to use SIG’s combistyle carton packs for products in South Africa.
Fair Cape Diaries expanded its partnership with SIG in response to the growing demand for UHT milk in carton packs.
