UAE-based Al Ain Dairy has announced that it has succeeded with its Austrian partners in producing chocolates made of camel milk.

The first samples were produced in Vienna and shipped to the UAE for market testing, it said.
Al Ain Dairy together with Hochleitner Ltd will set up a manufacturing plant in Al Ain, which will become operational in the second quarter of 2006, it said.
The main raw material, camel milk will come from an Al Ain Dairy subsidiary camel farm. The existing camel farm is expected to add another 2,000 camels to meet the needs of the new chocolate factory.
“Al Ain Dairy is the first company in the region to produce pasteurised camel milk,” said chairman Saeed Khalfan Mater Al Romaithi. “We will always strive to develop products that are close to our history and heritage,” added Al Romaithi.
“With our Austrian partners, Hochleitner Ltd and Manner, we have over the past six months developed with great success a very fine and healthier chocolate.”
Georg Hochleitner is a recognised and reputed chocolate maker in Austria. He has successfully pioneered the first chocolate made of sheep milk.
“I have combined camel milk from Al Ain and honey from Yemen and we end up with a healthy, tasty and delicious chocolate,” said Hochleitner proudly.
The proposed plant is expected to come into production in June 2006, and will have a capacity of 50 tonnes per month. It will operate under the supervision of an Austrian team, seconded by Hochleitner Ltd. Key customers to be targeted in the first phase are the duty free outlets of Abu Dhabi and Dubai and the deluxe hotels.
“In line with its policy to serve society, Al Ain Dairy will invite schools and universities to visit the camel farm and the factory to encourage an exchange of information about the local heritage and state-of-the-art manufacturing plant”, said Al Romaithi.