The UHT (ultra heat treated) milk, which is the company's first UHT product will be processed in Glanbia’s Monaghan factory. It will be distributed by Milkmore, a Shanghai-based company.

According to Siobhan Talbot, Managing Director Glanbia said the brand will be positioned at the premium market in China and will retail at about €3.80/L - up to three times the price of locally produced product.

When asked about the sustainability of transporting a product that is 90% water across the world, Talbot said that because it is UHT, the shelf life is extended and this gives great flexibility in the supply chain adding that it is not much more expensive to ship to China than around Ireland. 

Glanbia has a long history of selling into China and currently sells directly to customers from a trading base in Shanghai and is continuing to grow its presence in the region.  

The company has a premix nutritional manufacturing facility in Suzhou since 2008, where it manufactures a range of vitamins, minerals, other ingredients for infant formula, as well as food and supplements for customers in China.

Glanbia supplies about 9,000 tonnes of dairy and nutritional ingredients to China and currently employs 50 people in the country.