Industriell produzierte gezuckerte Kondensmilch ist eine der wichtigsten milchbasierten Zutaten für die Süßwarenindustrie. Die grundlegenden Ernährungstrends der vergangenen Jahre stellen neue Anforderungen auch an die verwendeten Zutaten. Die WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH als Spezialist für gezuckerte Kondensmilch reagiert mit neuen Sorten und Abpackmöglichkeiten auf die Trends.

Industrially produced sweetened condensed milk (SCM) is one of the most important milk-based ingredients for the confectionery industry. It is mainly used in the production of high-quality caramel fillings, chocolate bars, pralines, toffees, dessert sauces, ice cream and many other confectionery products. There, it not only provides the typical caramel taste, but also influences the desired consistency and mouthfeel of the finished product.

WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH, belonging to the Uelzena Group, is one of the largest manufacturers for SCM in Europe. The North German dairy based in Warmsen supplies the major branded companies in the confectionery industry. To further strengthen this position, the company is expanding its range of products for industrial customers and is also investing in a new, flexible filling line for bag-in-box systems to open up new markets.

The major nutritional trends of recent years, such as vegetarian and vegan products or products with an organic or clean label, are increasingly in demand. Therefore, the demand for suitable ingredients for the development and production of such new product qualities is also growing parallel within the confectionery manufacturers.

Johannes Rother, Managing Director of WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH, says: “On the one hand, we are noticing a strong increase in demand for certified varieties such as organic and/or Fairtrade. And completely new products are being added, such as sweetened condensed milk with the addition of vegetable fat, purely vegetable alternatives without milk or even replacing the sugar with certain sugar substitutes”. The company reacted by developing new varieties and also has certified its products for various standards to meet the new requirements.

The dairy in Warmsen is currently a pioneer in the market for organic certified sweetened condensed milk, as well as for Fairtrade-licensed condensed milk. When using vegetable fats in the new recipes, the procurement of sustainably produced raw materials is a particularly important criterion.

Common packaging systems for sweetened condensed milk are sterile steel containers, drums and loading in tankers. Various bag-in-box systems (BIB) are also becoming more and more wide-spread, such as one-way and reusable containers with filling quantities of up to 1,000 kg or cartons with a capacity of up to 25 kg. And there is currently a strong demand for small BIBs with a capacity of 5 kg or more.

“That is why we have invested in a versatile new filling line, so that we can react even more flexibly to the changing packaging requirements of our customers,” says Claudia Paland, Project Manager at WS Warmsener Spezialitäten GmbH. “It also enables us to expand our sales market, especially in the export of smaller packaging units and the new product variants with vegetable fat to the Asian market”.