Arla Food Ingredients has opened a new application centre in Aarhus, Denmark, consolidating its R&D facilities as part of its plan to double milk protein sales by 2013.

Arla uses the milk and whey proteins that are by-products of its cheese-making process as textural and cost-cutting ingredients in a wide range of foods, including as a replacement for egg whites in muffins, or for casein in salami, as well as in dairy applications.

The 2,000-square-metre centre replaces Arla's existing R&D facilities at Brabrand and Nr. Vium, and brings them adjacent to the site of its future head office. The company said that the centre will also allow food manufacturers to come and work on developing new products with its technical staff, putting it in a stronger position to develop customised milk and whey proteins.

Arla said that despite the financial crisis, it intends to double sales of milk proteins by 2013 from 2008 levels, when the company's milk protein business made just under 2bn DDK (?268m).

Executive group director at Arla Food Ingredients Jais Valeur said: "With the new centre in Aarhus we have established the optimum conditions for doubling turnover by 2013."

Valeur said that milk proteins are particularly attractive to food manufacturers who are looking for natural ingredients that in many cases are cheaper than alternative ingredients.

"Siting our creative expertise under one roof is a huge advantage because knowledge, skill and state-of-the-art equipment is accessible to everyone," he said. "It opens up a range of new opportunities for developing concepts for even more markets."

Valeur added that enabling customers to come to the facility to develop customised ingredient solutions "will attract unique know-how and expertise from across the world and, therefore, strengthen our relations with customers."

The new centre was built at a cost of 20m Danish kroner (DDK), or ?2.68m, and employs 30 full-time technologists.