Plant-Ex, a UK manufacturer of plant-derived natural colours and flavours, is investing €1.5 million (£1.25 million) into its business. The investment is intended to improve the services the company provides and increase customer satisfaction.
Founded in 2010, Plant-Ex has rapidly expanded from one employee to over 80 and is now active in 49 countries. Last year, the company added a new 18,000 square foot building at its main site in Avonmouth, containing four NPD laboratories for Natural Colours, Top Note Flavours, Extracts, and Food Protection Systems.
The building also contains a Development Kitchen. Additionally, Plant-Ex has doubled the size of its production site and finished goods dispatch warehouse, making it better able to meet rising demand.
A global player
Last year, Plant-Ex added to its global presence with a new branch in Poland, allowing EU customers to avoid the delays and costs of customs issues. Plant-Ex reports that it has achieved 15% year-on-year sales growth for the past decade, and it now intends to become an “increasingly important player in the Global Colours and Flavours marketplace”.
Plant-based ingredients
As demand for plant-based packaged foods continues to increase, there is a growing need for suitable ingredients. In a recent survey of European consumers, plant protein was more popular than whey protein as an ingredient in sports nutrition products.
Increasingly, companies that previously produced ingredients made with animal products are beginning to diversify in response to this growing demand. For example, MEGGLE Food Ingredients & Solutions now offers vegan fat powders, cake emulsifiers, and coffee whiteners.
“With an attractive range of products, consisting of plant-based products and our well-known good service for our customers, we want to meet the increasing demand for sustainable and vegan food today and also in the future,” MEGGLE Director Helge Sadowski told vegconomist in an interview.
