TINE BA is Norway’s largest producer, distributor and exporter of dairy products, the country’s biggest food industry player and a familiar part of the Norwegian cultural landscape.

The dairy industry must strive to be profitable and environmentally friendly characterised by pure products of high quality, a clean environment and the deployment of environmentally friendly technology.

Partnership breeds success, particularly in changing markets

A great expansion in dairy farming has led to increased benefits stemming from co-operation within the industry. Innovative product development calls for challenging teamwork involving customers, R&D, marketing and production. Comprehensive quality control systems including supplier assessments, raw materials and packaging specifications, thorough testing – both internal and external – all ensure the delivery of consistent quality.

Shared values, prime products

One of TINE’s primary goals, in step with Valio’s, is the production of clean and safe food. In markets where regulations are constantly being developed and harmonised at home and abroad, compliance with strict controls on international producers and standards along with public legislation ensures that consumers and customers are supplied with the highest quality products.

Valio has licensed two key technologies to its Norwegian partner

TINE’s Biola range including varieties of yoghurt, fermented low-fat milk and flavoured fermented milk contains Valio’s Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain (LGG®) licensed to TINE in 1994 and marketed locally as the probiotic lactic bacteria that balances and strengthens the natural immune system in the digestive tract.

TINE Laktosefri Lettmelk

TINE has since picked up a Valio Zero Lactose™ technology licence and on 1st September 2009 launched the first lactose free milk to appear on the Norwegian market. The product is totally free from lactose but tastes just like normal fresh milk.

TINE already sells a range of low lactose products and expects TINE Laktosefri Lettmelk to generate new milk consumers, just as happened in Finland and Sweden when Valio launched the world’s very first lactose free milks some years ago.

Around 2–4% of the Norwegian population lacks the lactase enzyme and consequently suffers from lactose intolerance, and that percentage continues to rise as the number of immigrants increases.

www.jarlsberg.com and www.tine.no