With the expansion of its flavour production plant in Pinghu, China, ADM is seeking to grow its portfolio of services in the Asia-Pacific region. A timely addition to its existing facilities in the region, the new site will provide customers solutions that meets the changing and growing needs of Asia’s diverse markets.
By Agatha Wong
ADM has unveiled its flavour production facility in Pinghu, China. Spanning 27,000sqm, the facility will allow the company connect with food manufacturers and processors with their products and expertise. Given the evolving tastes and preferences of consumers in Asia-Pacific, the production site aims to deliver innovations and tailored expertise to the region.
This is supported by figures pointing to the global food flavours market reaching US$20.7bn by 20251, most of it held by Asia-Pacific. Moreover, with South East Asia being a hub for diverse cuisines, demand for flavours and various food applications are sure to increase.
Further compounding these changes are changing consumer lifestyles, increasing disposable incomes and the popularity of exotic flavours, amongst other factors. Moreover, South East Asian manufacturers and producers are also looking for nature-derived products and consumers seek natural ingredients for health and environment benefits.
Dirk Oyen, vice-president of sales, Asia-Pacific, and general manager of human nutrition, South East Asia, at ADM, told Food & Beverage Asia: “The opening of our newest flavour production facility in Pinghu is designed to help brands meet preferred taste profiles and ensure that ADM is well-positioned to help customers meet this growing consumer demand.”
An axis of flavours
The new site also caters to the diverse needs stemming from Asia’s diverse culinary landscape. For example, as Oyen noted, healthy snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are booming in Australia, while immune-boosting foods are seeing a surge in popularity in China. With each region bearing particular demographics and demands, the Pinghu’s flavour production facility can better provide manufacturers with the solutions to each market for now and the future.
With the site situated northeast of Zhejiang province, an hour’s drive away from Shanghai, ADM will be able to provide its customers with direct access to their team and professionals. More than that, the Pinghu site is equipped with a calibre of services and technology dedicated to product innovation and creation, as Oyen explained: “The site features labs dedicated to flavour creation and product application and development. These labs support the development of innovative solutions that will add to ADM’s extensive portfolio of flavours and ingredients derived from nature. It also features automated flavour lines with advanced dosing technology that integrates dosing, recombination, mixing, filling and cleaning to optimise production time.”
The facility is also designed with the environment in mind. The facility’s rainwater collection system, regenerative thermal oxidiser, wastewater treatment plant and solar power panel, enables a circular economy and helps to create a more resilient and sustainable food system for the community and customers.
With these features, the Pinghu site will allow ADM to deliver their solutions whilst ensuring the highest quality across a wide-range of applications such as beverages, sweet goods, dairy, and health-related and functional foods.
“The plant is unique because it is established to be the flavour supply hub for all ADM flavour creation labs in Asia-Pacific and to position us closer to our key customers. Most of the raw materials used in this facility are sourced locally, and its strategic location enables us to reinforce our positioning to unlock innovations for our customers at a faster speed and precision from development to market production,” revealed Oyen.
“We also provide more than just natural flavours, ingredients, and systems. We support customers with product development and work alongside them to identify the right flavour solutions that consumers are looking for. By providing support from ideation through to formulation and final product development, customers can look forward to relying on us as a trusted partner throughout every stage for consumer-winning applications.”
Regional destinations for novel innovations
For now, the Pinghu site will focus on driving and bringing operations to optimal levels. As the flavour supply hub for all creation labs in Asia-Pacific, the plant will bolster ADM’s ability to deliver innovative flavour solutions.
The site is but the first blush of ADM’s plans to bring enhanced flavour profiles to the region. With the existing Flavour Creation Site and Technological Innovation Centre in Singapore, ADM’s headquarters in the country meets the needs of manufacturers in in Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.
Outside of the Pinghu site, ADM has signed a cooperation agreement with Jiangnan University in May last year, to establish ADM Science & Technology Centre in the Future Food Science Centre of Jiangnan University. The centre will further strengthen our innovation capability to meet customer’s demands for novel food and beverages.
“We are on a growth trajectory in China and Asia-Pacific and will continue working closely with customers to create complete flavour and specialty ingredient solutions that meet consumer preferences for taste, nutrition, function, and texture,” concluded Oyen.
References
1 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/food-flavors.asp
