SEATTLE — Farmer-owned dairy cooperative Darigold, Inc. shared that its consumer products are returning to the Philippines for the first time in 50 years.

The dairy manufacturer said its FIT Milk ultra-filtered product line, as well as its aseptic, ultra-pasteurized fluid milk will be exported to the island nation through a distribution partnership with AllDay Supermarkets.

Roughly a century ago, Darigold initially began selling products in the Philippines, but discontinued the sale of consumer products in the 1970s.

Darigold said it continued exporting dairy-based ingredients to commercial customers during the hiatus. As its consumer products return to the Philippines, the company said it will sell its full FIT Milk lineup, and ultra-pasteurized whole, chocolate and strawberry flavored milk in single-serve bottles.

"Fluid milk has presented a very different challenge for long range distribution, including globally, because of its relatively short shelf life," Darigold brand-to-consumer business president Dan Hofmeister said. “Products like our FIT Milk and aseptic milk, which are ultra-high temperature pasteurized, provide opportunities to overcome that limitation. Because they are ultra-pasteurized, these products offer extended shelf life of a year, making it more feasible to ship greater distances, including globally."

Citing data from the US Department of Agriculture, Darigold noted that dairy demand in the Philippines is poised for 3% growth, with the Asian islands importing 99% of the nation’s dairy products.

With Darigold’s production and processing facilities operating in the Northwest, Darigold president and chief executive officer Allan Huttema said the company has ready access to global shipping, giving it “a competitive advantage to help grow our business internationally."

Said Hofmeister: "Less perishable products with longer shelf lives are enabling us to introduce the Darigold brand elsewhere in the country and around the world. That creates new opportunities for us to grow our business and build more value for our customers and our farmer-owners."

The dairy company is building another production facility in Pasco, Wash., that it said will make it possible to process an additional 8 million pounds of milk per day.

Darigold’s commercial products include butter, cheese, powdered milk products, protein drinks, confectionery products and other consumer packaged goods (CPG). Its commercial ingredients, which are exported worldwide, are sold to dairy producers, CPG manufacturers, institutional food service operators and other businesses.