February 7, 2013

China's BeingMate will invest EUR20 million (US$27 million) to build BeingMate (Ireland) Company Limited, to operate business covering the research and development, production and sale of infant formula in Ireland.

Hangzhou-based BeingMate, founded on November 11, 1992, signed a cooperative agreement with Irish food giant Kerry Group on October 20, 2012, to get technological support from the latter.

The New Zealand tainted milk powder scandal raised fears in China this January that Chinese milk powder companies have to reconsider their internationalisation strategies.

The industrial chemical melamine was found in various dairy products from several Chinese companies in 2008, and now Europe seems to be the last hope for Chinese mothers.

With such a background, BeingMate chooses Ireland. In fact, BeingMate has declared before that the company's milk supplies are largely from Heilongjiang, China. Meanwhile of the remaining imported milk supplies, they come mainly from European countries including Ireland, the Netherlands and Finland, to avoid being involved in the New Zealand tainted milk powder issue.