On June 7, Verkhnedvinsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. A third of the products of the open joint-stock company (OJSC) "Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Factory" are innovative, the enterprise director Petr Lavrinov told a BELTA correspondent. The share of innovative products based on the results of work in January-May reached 32%. Along with the production of dry demineralized whey, the production of which was mastered in 2011, Verkhnedvinsk cheesemakers were the first in Belarus to start producing premium semi-hard rennet cheeses with natural seasonings, as well as butter with the addition of natural flavourings and spices. Currently, the range of cheeses with seasonings includes six product names, and butter with seasonings - three. As Petr Lavrinov noted, in order to feel confident in the domestic and foreign markets, the enterprise intends to further expand its product range. One of the promising areas may be the production of finished products with high added value from demineralized whey. The Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Factory traces its history back to 1932. The enterprise was incorporated in 1999, and its founder is the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. The state owns 95.3% of the shares. The plant specializes in the production of hard rennet cheeses, butter, and dry whey. In the milk processing structure, over 60% is accounted for by cheese production. The product range includes over 30 product names. The enterprise has registered the trademarks "Yan Syrodel" and "Ulyanka" with the National Center of Intellectual Property of the Republic of Belarus. OJSC "Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Factory" was the first in Belarus to receive a certificate of conformity to the quality management system LST EN ISO 9001:2008 and food safety LST EN ISO 22000:2005. In January-May of the current year, the enterprise produced 449 tons of animal butter, which is 63% more than in the same period last year. The output of high-fat cheeses and cheese products increased by 8% and reached 2176 tons. Since the beginning of the year, 1185 tons of dry demineralized whey have been produced. Sales profitability is one of the highest among the enterprises of the republic and amounts to 12.6%. Profit from sales is estimated at Br14.8 billion. According to data for January-May of the current year, the export growth rate in monetary terms was 107.8%. -0-

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