Leprino Nutrition Completes $35 Million Lubbock Expansion, Quadrupling Microparticulated Whey Protein Capacity

Investment will bring approximately 20 million pounds to market as demand for high-performance protein accelerates.

Leprino Nutrition, the specialty ingredient division of Leprino Foods Company, today announced completion of a $35 million expansion at its Lubbock, Texas, facility, quadrupling the company’s microparticulated production capacity. The additional capacity is incremental to their current Sweet Whey operation and will focus on the consolidation of externally sourced whey solids.  With this expansion, Lubbock joins Fort Morgan, Colo., as one of Leprino Nutrition’s two facilities dedicated to microparticulated production.

Demand for protein-fortified food and beverage products continues to grow as consumers pursue dietary and nutrition goals across all categories. As brands push protein levels higher, many run into formulation challenges that impact taste, texture, and stability, which can undermine a great consumer experience. Leprino Nutrition’s investment in Lubbock addresses that challenge by providing a specialty protein ingredient that works in complex formulas without compromising quality.

“This expansion allows us to bring meaningful volume to the market at exactly the moment the industry needs it,” said Angela Queneau, senior director of research and development at Leprino Nutrition. “Microparticulation is one of the most technically demanding and commercially promising formats in specialty protein today. With our investment in Lubbock, customers can benefit from advanced dairy science coupled with supply confidence to formulate ambitious, high-protein products.”

The centerpiece of the expansion is MP PRO C80™, Leprino Nutrition’s microparticulated whey protein concentrate. MP PRO C80 delivers fat-like creaminess and texture, enabling higher protein levels without excessive thickness or chalkiness. Well-positioned for a wide range of applications, from puddings to desserts, baked goods, snacks, dips, dressings, sauces, ice cream and more, this ingredient helps formulators hit high-performance protein targets while preserving sensory quality.

MP PRO C80, a patent protected process, produces uniformly sized protein particles similar to milk fat globules, creating a creamy, fat-like mouthfeel and low viscosity even at high protein concentrations, without the chalkiness common to commodity whey fortification. It offers excellent stability under high-heat processing, with low to no foaming for applications that demand protein density and a smooth, clean taste.

With the Lubbock expansion, Leprino Nutrition is positioned to supply this in-demand format at a scale and level of reliability that reinforces its leadership in specialty proteins, backed by significant investment and manufacturing expertise. Manufacturers interested in learning more about MP PRO C80 are encouraged to contact Leprino Nutrition directly to discuss how the ingredient can support their protein formulation needs.

Leprino Nutrition is the specialty ingredient division of Leprino Foods Company. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Leprino is a global leader in the production of premium-quality cheese and dairy ingredients. It is the largest producer of mozzarella cheese in the world and a leading manufacturer of lactose, whey protein, micellar casein, and sweet whey. Drawing on more than 75 years of dairy science and manufacturing expertise, Leprino Nutrition partners with food and beverage brands in more than 70 countries to deliver science-backed protein ingredients for a wide range of food and beverage applications. Visit LeprinoNutrition.com.