Milk Specialties Global, an Eden Prairie, Minn.-based whey protein isolate producer, said it doubled its lactose production following the expansion of its West Coast processing facility in Visalia, Calif. The additional lactose production capacity, which came online in late 2020, is to meet increased demand for high-quality dairy ingredients in Asia and other overseas markets.

“It all comes back to the customers,” said CEO David Lenzmeier. “We always strive to make the best products on the market and deliver better value to our customers. The project we just completed at our Visalia facility furthers our ability to deliver a high-quality product at a good value.”

Lactose is a co-product of the dairy protein concentration process and is the largest component in milk. Milk Specialties Global said it produces lactose for a wide variety of organic and conventional specifications to meet customer needs; this expansion will help support those offerings.

The company began producing milk protein concentrate at its Visalia facility in 2012, and permanently acquired the facility in 2019. The company has since invested in significant improvements, including expanding capacity and operational efficiencies to improve the Visalia facility’s carbon footprint. In addition to its expanded role in lactose production, the Visalia facility produces other milk proteins and micellar casein, Milk Specialties Global said.