Fonterra has taken advantage of the growing trend of people eating out.

It's food service business has exceeded the two billion dollar mark, and the co-operative has ambitions to more than double that.

Anchor Food Professionals is now New Zealand’s sixth biggest export business.

It provides fit-for-purpose dairy ingredients for all sorts of food outlets from restaurants to bakeries.

Fonterra spokesman Grant Watson said its success is a result of chefs on the ground working with customers and a great range of products.

"Including our extra-stretch mozzarella, some highly functional cooking cream, special butters for pastries and a very functional cream cheese."

Watson said the company has strong growth coming out of China and South East Asia, and has just entered the US market.

"The food service business globally is expected to be $3 trillion by 2021. Our ambition is to become a $5 billion business all of which is value add and Fonterra, $5 billion by 2023."