It's all the fault of the ‘cheesy crust'.
Do you remember the wave of protest that went through Germany about a year ago when it was announced that the price of milk was going up? The main reason for the hike in milk prices was the steady growth in demand for dairy products. Today we consume much more of this white foodstuff than ever before. And the demand for dairy products is growing by around 2.5 to 3 percent a year. As illustration: Worldwide milk consumption in 2007 stood at around 242 billion liters, which signaled a 5 billion liter increase on the previous year.

The growing demand for milk products means that dairy farmers are dependent on having the latest technology, because those who are not up to speed just cannot keep up with the market. One result of this trend is that the order books of GEA Farm Technologies are full. It's no wonder really, since even China and India have recognized the nutritional value of this ‘white gold'. But can't demand be covered by exports? No, local production sites are also necessary. And thus we see that the demand for technological innovations from GEA Farm Technologies is increasing at such a rate as to boost sales figures and profits from one year to the next.

But let's be honest: Are the Chinese, Indians, and other growing nations at fault for the hike in milk prices? Not at all! Let's take a step back in time to the mid 18th century. This is the era in which the tomato found its way into southern Italy. And everybody knows what happened next. Very soon, the resourceful Italian cooks had invented the pizza. And almost instantly, Pizzeria Port' Alba, the oldest pizzeria that is still open today, opened up for business. After that, there was no turning back the clock as the round, lavishly topped pizza bread made its triumphant way across every continent.

What has this story got to do with GEA Farm Technologies? Quite a lot actually. Because without the pioneering pizza spirit of the Italians, we would never have got the ‘cheesy crust' pizza. Confused? It's time to solve the riddle. This delicious variation on the original pizza has been enjoying increasing popularity among its growing fan base since the mid 1990s. And the cheesy crust pizza with its crust stuffed with the finest cheese is the pizza to which it is easiest to get addicted. And there lies the snag. Believe it or not, the invention of the cheese-filled pizza crust has caused a rapid increase in the production of cheese. And this, of course, goes hand in hand with an increased demand for milk production. Unbelievable but true! And thus we have the cheesy pizza crust in part to thank for the fact that innovative products from GEA Farm Technologies are conquering today's market.