GFIC Dairy Processing

Who We Serve

Entrepreneurs & Small Dairy Brands

Bringing a dairy product to market requires strict controls and specialized equipment. At GFIC, you can:

• Develop and refine formulations without major capital investment.
• Produce small batches for sensory testing, retailers, or investors.
• Validate texture, flavour, and shelf life in a licensed, food-safe environment.

We help early-stage companies turn ideas into safe, scalable dairy products.

Established Dairy Processors

Larger companies often need a flexible space for R&D without interrupting full-scale production. GFIC provides:

• A controlled pilot plant for testing new formulations or processes.
• A place to troubleshoot or optimize existing products.
• Support for scale-up, and process improvements.

This enables manufacturers to innovate quickly and reduce production risk.

Ingredient & Technology Developers

For suppliers of ingredients or dairy processing technologies, GFIC offers an ideal testing ground to:

• Evaluate ingredient performance in real dairy matrices.
• Run pilot demonstrations for customers or internal teams.
• Validate new equipment or processing technologies.

Pasteurization & Thermal Processing

We specialize in HTST (High-Temperature Short-Time) and UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) pasteurization in both pilot-scale (Microthermics) and full-scale (Qualtech) systems, which allow for precise control over temperature, holding times, skimming and homogenization. We can develop safe, stable, and high-quality dairy beverages and milks for dairy applications, such as fermented dairy, cheese, modified milk ingredients, etc.

Fermented Dairy Products

Our team has extensive experience in cultured dairy product development, including yogurts, kefirs, and other fermented beverages. We provide full control over fermentation parameters, starter culture selection, and process monitoring to achieve consistent texture, flavour, and functionality. This includes traditional dairy applications and dairy alternative formulations (e.g,. plant-based blends or functional ingredient fortification) that require predictable and reproducible fermentation performance.

Cheese Development

GFIC supports the development of soft, semi-hard, and hard cheeses, leveraging pilot-scale equipment such as cheese vats, curd mills, presses, and ricotta tanks. Our facilities allow clients to test traditional recipes, explore new cheese varieties, and evaluate process adjustments such as milk standardization, starter culture selection, and pressing techniques. For those interested in professional cheese education and deeper technical insight, you can explore the University of Guelph Cheese Making Certificate Program.

Integrated Process Capabilities

Beyond these core processes, the plant offers specialized capabilities for processing, optimizing, and scaling dairy formulations under professional, production-representative conditions.

• Freezing – Controlled pilot-scale batch and continuous freezing for ice cream, frozen desserts, and other dairy-based products to test texture, stability, and quality.
• Homogenization – Two-stage homogenization ensures uniform blending of fat and liquid in milk and dairy formulations, improving product stability, fat distribution, and viscosity.
• Filtration – Advanced micro- and ultrafiltration systems for concentrating proteins, separating whey, or creating modified milk ingredients.
• Drying – Spray-drying capabilities for converting liquid dairy into powders, including milk powders, protein concentrates, and shelf-stable formulations.

Client Support & Customization

GFIC’s team works closely with clients to tailor processes to specific product goals, from small-batch prototypes to pilot-scale production runs. Our expertise ensures that dairy products not only meet safety and regulatory standards but also achieve desired sensory, functional, and shelf-life characteristics.

With our dedicated dairy pilot plant, clients can confidently develop, optimize, and commercialize high-quality dairy and fermented products ready for the marketplace.