Holland Dairy has inaugurated a new cold storage facility and wastewater treatment plant in Bishoftu, built with an investment of over USD 4 million. The project is part of the company’s effort to support cleaner dairy production and tackle water use challenges in Ethiopia.

The new storage unit can hold about one million yogurt cups, or 400,000 liters of yogurt, giving the company the capacity to better handle demand while keeping products fresh.

Holland Dairy processes both milk and yogurt using between 2 and 2.5 liters of water per liter of product. As the company grows, it says wastewater levels are rising quickly. The new plant treats all used water, mostly drawn from underground sources before it’s returned to nature. Some of this water is reused to help safeguard the environment, nearby farms, and local lakes.

The company works closely with more than 4,000 dairy farmers and 15 to 20 cooperatives in areas like Chancho, Debre Birhan, Arsi, Bekoji, Fiche, and Mukturi. These farmers supply the fresh milk that feeds Holland Dairy’s production line.

“If we want to grow, they need to grow,” said Robin Veenstra, CEO of Holland Dairy. “That’s how we see it. We don’t just wait and hope things get better, we get involved and help improve quality and supply together.”

Looking beyond its current stronghold in Addis Ababa, Holland Dairy has expressed intentions to distribute Gouda cheese more widely across Ethiopia and launch new product flavors. The company is also eyeing regional markets in East Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, as part of its long-term growth strategy.