Friesland­Campina Workum 125 years

This year, FrieslandCampina Workum celebrates a major milestone: the production site marks its 125^th anniversary. What began in 1900 as the cooperative steam dairy factory ‘De Goede Verwachting’, has grown into one of FrieslandCampina’s largest and most innovative production sites. Today, the site houses two specialised factories: one for cheese and one for high-quality whey proteins, employing a total of 260 people.

Tiede van der Velde, Plant Director FrieslandCampina Workum, says: “Workum is a unique site where tradition, technology and dedication come together. Our strength lies in our scale, flexibility in milk flows and cheese varieties, and the production of premium proteins. But what truly sets Workum apart is the craftsmanship and commitment of our employees. We’ve been leading the way in product development and automation for years.”

Together with member dairy farmers

The site in Workum is deeply rooted in FrieslandCampina’s cooperative tradition. Since its founding, dairy farmers from the surrounding area – who are also owners through the cooperative – have been supplying milk to the factory. 125 years ago, around 6.3 million kilograms of farm milk were processed annually. In 2012, Workum Cheese became FrieslandCampina’s largest cheese production site. Today, over 3.2 million kilograms of milk are processed daily – resulting in an annual production of 130,000 tonnes of cheese.

The whey released during the cheese production process is turned into high-quality protein products used in infant nutrition, sports nutrition and medical applications worldwide.

Producing more sustainably for the future

In addition to scale and expertise, FrieslandCampina Workum is investing heavily in sustainability. A 50-year-old gas-fired installation is being replaced with an environmentally friendly alternative, saving 6,800 tonnes of CO₂ and 350,000 m³ of drinking water annually – equivalent to the consumption of 22,000 households. These efforts contribute to FrieslandCampina’s climate goals. In 2023, a new milk reception facility was opened, and currently the whey production site is being expanded and upgraded with a focus on sustainability.

A history of collaboration and innovation

The site in Workum has always been connected to regional dairy farmers. Between 1963 and 1971, ten regional dairy cooperatives joined the factory, turning Workum into a key dairy hub in Friesland. These collaborations laid the foundation for further growth and professionalisation. In 1998, Friesland Dairy Foods merged with Coberco, and since the 2008 merger between Friesland Foods and Campina, Workum has been part of FrieslandCampina. This cooperative structure continues to define the identity and success of the site to this day.

Anniversary book: It Fabryk

To mark the 125^th anniversary, a special commemorative book titled It Fabryk has been published, detailing the rich history of the production site. The book will be presented during a celebration for employees and member dairy farmers. A limited number of copies will also be available at the local bookshop in Workum.