MSG Acquires Kay’s Processing, Inc.

Milk Specialties Global (MSG), an industry-leading manufacturer of nutritional ingredients for the health and wellness, performance nutrition and functional food industries, has acquired the 96,000-square-foot, gluten-free certified Kay’s Naturals Processing facility, located in Clara City, Minnesota, along with the Kay’s Naturals consumer brand.

Milk Specialties Global plans to expand operations at the Clara City facility to accommodate demand for extruded protein products, which are used for a wide variety of applications ranging from snacks to meat alternatives. To ensure business continuity, the facility’s current employees have received offers to remain with the facility, and additional jobs will be created in the future to support production expansions. “There is a lot of potential to ramp up production and increase capacity at our new Clara City facility, including more co-manufacturing,” says MSG Vice President of Extrusion Technology and Strategy Jim Fischer. “This acquisition will expand our extruded protein capabilities and help us better meet the needs of our customers.”

The Clara City plant is part of MSG’s long-term expansion strategy. The newly named Milk Specialties Global Clara City Facility is MSG’s 11th plant, and the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions and expansions that began in 2008. Most recently, in 2020 the company doubled its lactose production following expansion of its west coast processing facility in Visalia, CA. Earlier this year, MSG completed a capital improvement project at its Fond Du Lac, WI facility to begin production of lactoferrin, signaling the launch of its NutriPRO™ line of products focusing on the health benefits of whey protein. “MSG has one of the best protein supply chains in the world and great infrastructure for producing high-quality products,” says MSG CEO David Lenzmeier. “With each investment, we can offer more value for our customers.”

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About Milk Specialties Global
Milk Specialties Global (MSG) is an industry-leading manufacturer of nutritional ingredients for the health and wellness, performance nutrition and functional food industries, with manufacturing facilities in WI, MN, NE, IL and CA. The core of MSG’s business is in high-percentage protein ingredients (whey protein concentrates, isolates and hydrolysates, as well as milk protein concentrates, isolates and micellar casein), lactose and permeate as well as value added ingredients. Additional information about Milk Specialties Global, including the benefits of its proprietary processing methods, can be found on www.milkspecialties.com.

Milk Specialties Global Begins Lactoferrin Production Following Major Infrastructure Project

Milk Specialties Global, a leading international whey and milk protein producer, is entering the lactoferrin market following a multi-million-dollar investment at the company’s Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin facility. The project, which will be completed in May, is in support of ongoing customer partnerships and to align with their future supply chain needs.

“The research around the health and immune benefits of lactoferrin is very compelling,” says David Lenzmeier, CEO of Milk Specialties Global. “We recognize that consumers are becoming more health conscious and we make it a priority to stay in tune with our customers. We are simply excited to play a key role in the development of the next generation of health-focused products.”

Lactoferrin is a unique protein fraction that occurs naturally in whey protein. Lactoferrin comprises only a tiny portion of the overall whey protein but offers powerful health benefits when concentrated. There is a growing body of research around the benefits of concentrated lactoferrin for all life stages including enhanced immune system support, promotion of “good” prebiotic bacteria for positive gut health and improved iron status. Recent studies have brought lactoferrin’s antiviral properties to the forefront, demonstrating that it can favorably influence human cell response to COVID-19 infection.

“Milk and its components are such an incredible canvas to create innovative products,” says Tom Benson, Executive Vice President at Milk Specialties Global. “As the world is becoming more health focused, we saw an opportunity to diversify our portfolio, deepen our commitment to customers and grow with them in the future.”

Lactoferrin is part of Milk Specialties’ NutriPRO™ family of products and comes in a wide range of concentration options – from 0.15 percent purity up to 95 percent purity. Lactoferrin is highly functional and can be used in a wide range of applications. Along with being a core ingredient in infant formula, lactoferrin is ideally suited for health supplements, medical nutrition products, ready-to-mix drinks and functional foods.