By Sanna Antila
Protective wax preserves cheese throughout its maturation process. And until recently, cheese wax has been made from petrochemical raw materials. A Danish company, Procudan, set out to change this. Working together with German and Danish partners in a collaborative project, the team developed a 100% natural, fossil-free wax that is ready to encase a wide variety of cheeses.
Many of your favourite cheeses are covered in cheese wax. This coating is specifically made for cheese, protecting it from mould and retaining moisture while it ages. Traditional cheese wax is made from petrochemical raw materials, such as petroleum-based paraffin and microcrystalline waxes; until recently, an eco-friendly alternative did not exist.
“We foresaw a future demand for a natural product in the dairy industry”, explains Tommy Pedersen, the CEO of Procudan. So, the company set off to develop a natural cheese wax that could set new standards for the dairy industry.
Six years later, Procudan have succeeded in developing the first completely natural cheese wax, free from fossil raw materials. The new product is a game changer for sustainability-aspiring dairy companies and allows them to offer customers a natural solution. For consumers, Procudan’s cheese wax is a more environmentally conscious option when buying cheese.
When beginning the development process for a completely new type of cheese wax, the team wasn't sure if they could create a natural alternative. “Our first goal was a new solution moving away from petrochemical raw materials, and if possible, a natural solution”, says Pedersen. To broaden their expertise, the company looked for partners that could help them think outside the box and set a direction.
They partnered with the Danish Technological Institute and a dairy from Germany, IP Ingredients. “The collaboration was very dynamic since we brought in different types of competencies from each partner”, explains Maja Duelund, Product Manager at Procudan.
The Danish Technological Institute provided analytical know-how, while Procudan led the project and produced formulations based on testing of raw materials. The dairy partner then made different cheeses to test the wax and give feedback on the wax’s performance. Even when success in producing a natural cheese wax seemed uncertain, the partners were eager to try different methods. “Curiosity lifted the project”, describes Duelund.
“We had an open-minded approach to this project, and as a chemist, that was the most inspiring thing for me.” - Duelund
The road to figuring out the right ingredients was not without challenges. The team started on this endeavour in 2017 with the goal of having a market-ready product within three years. In the end, the final product ended up taking over six years to create.
“It’s quite a challenge to look for something completely new because you keep going back to what you know and that doesn’t help”, explains Pedersen. “You have to actually disrupt your own business”.
At the beginning of the development process, the project team had 226 ideas, not knowing which was going to result in a natural cheese wax. “We needed to take a chance”, Pedersen says. Being a medium-sized company, the team had to divide their time between the project and daily work.
According to Duelund, taking part in Eureka’s Eurostars programme helped the team allocate more resources to the development of the product and invest in new analytical methods designed for cheese wax. “International collaboration also allowed us to access different competencies from the international partner, and knowledge about their country’s preferences for cheese and packaging”, Duelund adds.
The project team went through a lot of formulations before hitting a sweet spot. “When we discovered the direction we’re working on now, it was a great day at the company” Pedersen reminisces. “Suddenly we were convinced we had found the right way to work”.
Since the goal of developing a cheese wax with no artificial component was not a given from the beginning, the breakthrough was even more rewarding. “It was a very big success when we could see that it’s possible to create this new product without any artificial additions like plastic polymer”, Duelund explains. Natural cheese wax contains ingredients such as beeswax and has the same functions as traditional cheese wax.
Currently, Procudan is in the process of commercialising the product, and possibilities for the future seem endless. According to Pedersen, natural cheese wax is attracting interest all over the world, as they predicted: “with the interest we see, we expect this product to contribute significantly to our company’s growth”, Pedersen rejoices. Sustainability and natural options are high on the consumer’s current agenda, and this product taps directly into the need for more guilt free choices.
“We are already exporting our cheese wax, but this product will definitely have a positive impact and fuel the speed of exporting.” - Tommy Pedersen
Embarking on this project was a learning curve for Danish company, Procudan, from developing the product to acquiring research funding. “It takes a lot of effort to apply for funding and manage the budget”, Duelund explains. Pedersen describes the process as a roller coaster ride with its ups and downs. “Once you have entered the process, you can get the right kind of support”.
For small and medium-sized companies, taking on projects like this is not something you can take for granted. The risk factor is always present in R&D projects, especially when a completely new product is being developed. “A company like ours is taking a risk when investing resources and time, but we also risk cannibalising our existing product range”, Duelund explains.
Despite this, the team’s willingness to find a way to produce cheese wax without petrochemical materials weighed heavier in their decision-making. “If you don’t take any risks, you don’t move anywhere”, Pedersen summarises, encouraging other innovative companies to do the same.
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