AB Mauri to scale up yeast production capacity in India

Yeast and bakery ingredients manufacturer AB Mauri India, part of UK-based Associated British Foods, plans to boost its yeast production capacity in the country to consolidate its position in the yeast market, where it currently holds a 45% share.

The company plans to expand its production capacity from 24,000t of yeast a year to 64,000t.

AB Mauri India executive director Binu Varghese said the yeast market in the country is currently pegged at 60,000t a year in volume terms and this is steadily growing at about 10-15%.

"Our production capacity is completely consumed by the industry so we feel the need to expand our capacities," Varghese added.

In order to boost production, the company plans to increase the capacities at its plants in Delhi, Kolkata, Secunderabad, Cochin, Bangalore and Chiplun.

It is also planning to set up a new facility, either in northern or western India.

AB Mauri India, which reported a turnover of Rs1.8bn ($34m) last year, plans to turn the business into a $100m firm by 2016.