High-Quality Dairy Is Not Just About the Factory, But Also About Having Our Own Farm — Seymur Hasanov, ATENA, Azerbaijan

 Mr. Seymur Aydinovich, your factory was launched in 2011. Could you tell us a bit about its foundation?

- Our plant was built as part of a government program with the support of a preferential loan. The design production capacity is 250 tons of finished products and 400 tons of raw milk per day. The plant is fully automated and equipped with technological lines, including: milk processing and CIP cleaning system by REDA (Italy) – an automated production control system; filling line by WALDNER (Germany); PET bottle blowing line by MAGIC (Italy); drinking milk line by TETRAPAK (Sweden); vacuum packaging by MULTIVAC (Germany); and a cheese production line by Kromel (Turkey).

What is your current production load?

- Currently, we process 80–90 tons of milk per day.

What’s the reason for this partial utilization?

- On one hand, we are constrained by a limited raw material base; on the other, by the limited capacity of the domestic market. Naturally, we strive to increase our sales volume, but domestic demand remains restricted, which is why our main focus is on expanding export opportunities. Additionally, our key objective is to use only our own milk as raw material, which is why we are planning to expand our farm.

Which countries are you currently exporting to?

-Russia, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. We actively participate in international exhibitions to increase our opportunities for entering other countries' markets.

Tell us about the technological features of your plant.

- Our plant was built according to a project developed in cooperation with our partner company, Danone, and fully complies with international quality standards. The production process is fully automated and operates on a "hands-free" principle: technologists monitor and manage all stages — from raw material quality control to the packaging of finished products. Only a few product types, whose recipes require a special approach, involve manual operations, and even these are kept to a minimum.

You offer a wide range of dairy products. Tell us about the production process.

-Currently, the company produces and sells products in 9 categories with a wide range of assortments: ayran, yogurt, sour cream, cheese (both brined and hard varieties), butter, kefir, cottage cheese, and UHT ultra-pasteurized drinking milk. In several categories, we are a market leader.

ATENA is the first dairy brand in Azerbaijan to produce fresh products using the ESL (Extended Shelf Life) system. By combining ultra-pasteurization and microfiltration technologies—which significantly reduce bacterial content—we are able to preserve the vitamins and minerals in the product, as well as maintain freshness throughout the milk’s shelf life.

Special materials used in ATENA’s packaging reliably protect the milk from exposure to sunlight, fluorescent, and other types of radiation. As a result, vitamins and minerals are preserved in their natural form throughout the entire storage period.

A key feature of our production is a short processing cycle: no more than 24 hours pass from the arrival of raw materials to the release of finished products. This approach ensures high quality and the natural taste of our dairy products.

All products undergo a multi-level quality control system as part of mandatory certification. We apply strict standards to raw material selection and testing: the plant has its own in-house laboratory with both physico-chemical and microbiological departments.

For this reason, in 2012 we established our own dairy farm, which has enabled us to ensure consistent quality and full traceability at every stage of production.

Let’s come back to the farm later. For now, what are the main challenges you face in your factory operations?

- In general, we set goals and achieve them confidently. Without false modesty, I can say that customers appreciate our products for their quality and freshness. Our main challenge is the lack of consistent, high-quality raw milk. When buying from small farmers, we need to invest significantly in quality control and educating them on milking and cooling practices.

How many employees work at your plant?

- We have 276 employees who undergo regular training and professional development as part of our career advancement system.

Due to raw milk shortages, do you use reconstituted milk in production?

- No, we use only fresh milk in our production. Powdered milk is not used at all, as the plant is not designed to process reconstituted milk.

What about vegetable fats?

- Vegetable fats, according to the recipe, are present in only a few products, primarily in certain cheese products. Their use is strictly regulated by the formulation and is always clearly indicated on the label to ensure full transparency for the consumer. After all, honesty with our customers is one of our company’s core principles.
Yes, we do have a product line in the economy segment, which mainly includes cheese product alternatives.

You mentioned that to ensure quality supply, you launched your own dairy farm in 2012. Has that helped solve your raw milk supply issue?

- Our farm was built in full compliance with modern standards and is equipped with reliable, high-quality equipment. It currently houses 3,200 head of cattle, including 1,300 milking cows. The average milk yield is 28–30 kg per cow per day. Every day, the farm supplies 30 to 35 tons of milk to the dairy plant, and we are fully satisfied with its quality.

We use a 40-stall GEA milking carousel, as well as a Fish Bone 16 (2×8) parallel milking system. The milk is immediately cooled, and we are able to monitor its quality parameters directly on the farm. We have made every effort to automate all production processes.

Do you produce your own feed?

- Yes, we produce almost all the feed ourselves. Only a few components like minerals are purchased externally.

 Which is easier to manage — the factory or the farm?

-  I would say the factory (smiles). The farm is more complex, with many more factors that influence results and higher human involvement.

From a financial perspective, which is more profitable — the factory or the farm?

- Both are profitable when properly managed, but the farm is actually more attractive in terms of financial returns.

Have you noticed changes in consumer preferences?

- Yes, we have. People are increasingly demanding low-fat products with high protein content. Health and proper nutrition have become trends. We are adjusting our product line and actively monitoring the market.

What are your plans for the coming years?

-We plan to expand our farm. Our goal is to purchase Holstein Friesian cows from Europe by the end of this year and increase our herd to 4,000 head, including 2,000 milking cows. However, to achieve this, we also require additional land—approximately 2,000 hectares, according to our calculations. We have submitted a request to the relevant government authorities for support in this matter.

Given the strategic direction consistently pursued by our Government, we sincerely believe that we will receive the necessary support in the near future.

We also have further plans for continued growth and expansion in the future.

Thank you for the detailed and insightful interview. We wish you great success in achieving your goals.