Sanitarium So Good soymilk is New Zealands favourite soymilk. Sanitarium developed So Good in 1986 and it is now produced in a state-of- the-art factory in Berkley Vale, NSW, Australia.

Some Soya Bean History
The soybean is a legume – also known as a pulse or dried bean - which is native to eastern Asia. It has been the staple diet for millions of people since ancient times.

Soy Protein
Sanitarium uses soybean protein to make So Good. Soy protein is the protein portion of the soybean in an almost pure form. The soybean is a high quality protein, like egg and milk protein. Sanitarium has been able to produce a soymilk that has a similar nutritional quality to that of dairy milk by using this soy protein and adding some vitamins and minerals.

Mixing the Ingredients
So Good is made in very large batches by firstly dissolving the mineral salts - calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus - in filtered water.

Vitamins are then added - ascorbic acid [vitamin C], riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin A, vitamin B12.

Finally sucrose, maltodextrin, soy protein and sunflower oil are added. This 'raw milk' is then continually stirred.

Quality Control
The ‘raw milk’ is tested to make sure that it is the correct composition.

Sterilisation
At this stage the raw milk needs to be sterilised, and so a process called UHT (Ultra High Temperature) treatment is used. It is then cooled and stored in a germ-free tank for a short period before being packed.

Packaging
It is important that the packaging equipment and the sleeves used to make the cartons are sterile.

The cartons are made from a laminate of aluminium, plastic and paperboard, so that the aluminium is not in contact with the liquid.

From the Factory to the Store
Once the cartons have been filled and sealed they are packed on large pallets. Before So Good can be released to the warehouse to go out to the supermarkets, one last spot check of samples is taken for quality testing.

So Good in So Many Ways
Besides making So Good Regular, the most popular soymilk on the market, Sanitarium has a number of variants. There is So Good Lite for those who want a low fat product; So Good Essential with extra calcium, folate and omega 3, and there is also a range of flavours (Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry) for those who like their drinks to be sweetened and flavoured.