Construction order issued for the creation of the planet's largest unified dairy complex in Algeria, under the guidance of GEA.
In the heart of Algeria, approximately 90 kilometers from Adrar, the provincial capital, a groundbreaking dairy project is gearing up for construction. The world's largest integrated dairy farm and milk powder facility, a joint venture between GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft and Baladna, is set to commence construction in early 2026 [1][2][3][4].
This ambitious project, valued between €140m and €170m, aims to revolutionise Algeria's dairy industry. Upon completion, the facility will boast a final capacity of approximately 100,000 tonnes of milk powder per year, meeting around half of the nation's milk powder demand [1][2][3].
The strategic partnership behind this venture is a subsidiary of Baladna QPSC, Qatar’s largest local dairy producer, and the Algerian government, via its national investment fund. This partnership, known as Baladna Algeria SPA, will finance and manage the project [1][4].
GEA, a global technology company specialising in machinery and plants, advanced process technology, components, and comprehensive services for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries, has been mandated to supply a comprehensive range of solutions covering the entire dairy value chain, from farming through processing to packaging [1][2][3][4]. This project represents one of GEA’s largest single orders ever.
The facility will house large milking parlors and milk powder and anhydrous milk fat installations, equipped with system solutions, separators, membrane filtration, heat treatment, evaporation, and spray drying plants [2][3]. Automated packaging and service components are also part of the project's scope.
The Algerian project is significant not only for its scale but also for its potential impact on regional food security and economic development. It is expected to create about 5,000 new jobs [1]. The project's proponents emphasise the advanced technologies GEA will deploy across the integrated farm and powder production lines [2][3].
GEA's involvement in this project is not without precedent. The company has a proven track record in large-scale plant and process engineering, including dairy projects in India, China, Qatar, and Ireland. The Algerian project represents one of the single-largest orders ever received by both LPT and FT, GEA's divisions responsible for the project [2][3].
The order contract for the Algerian project was signed by Ali Al-Ali, Chairman of the Board of Baladna Algeria, and GEA CEO Stefan Klebert, marking a formal commitment to this technological milestone [4]. Other GEA divisions will contribute technologies and products within the scope of the Algerian project.
The project's formal signing ceremony took place on 28 July 2022, attended by numerous high-profile guests, including Abdelaziz Ali Al-Naama, ambassador of Qatar to Algeria, Algerian Minister of Agriculture Youssef Cherfa, and Mohamed Moutaz Al-Khayyat, Chairman of the Board of Baladna Food Industries [4].
With construction scheduled to begin in early 2026, the first milk powder production is targeted for late 2027, followed by gradual scaling up of production volumes over subsequent years [1][2][3][4]. This project is set to redefine Algeria's dairy industry, marking a major investment and technological milestone.
This groundbreaking dairy project, a joint venture between GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft and Baladna, is not only revolutionizing Algeria's dairy industry but also the larger business landscape, as it is expected to meet around half of the nation's milk powder demand. Financing and management of the project are being handled by Baladna Algeria SPA, a strategic partnership between Baladna QPSC, Qatar’s largest local dairy producer, and the Algerian government. In the realm of finance, the project is valued between €140m and €170m.
