Chr. Hansen to strengthen food ingredient processing capabilities in Italy

Danish food ingredients company Chr. Hansen has outlined new investment plans to strengthen its processing capabilities for food ingredients with colouring properties.

The move is part of the company’s efforts to cater to food manufacturers willing to use colouring foodstuffs in their products.

As part of the plans, the company is upgrading its processing, warehousing and laboratory facilities in Canossa, Italy.

According to the company, colouring foodstuffs processed from edible, natural sources such as fruits and vegetables allow food manufacturers to ‘colour food with food’, while preserving the taste and appearance of the end product.

Chr. Hansen Natural Colors Division EVP Carsten Bennike said, "We have been offering colouring foodstuffs as part of our natural colours portfolio for years, but now we have launched a new strategy under the headline Nature’s No. 1 that accentuates the importance of natural solutions in all our business areas.

"We are pressing ahead full speed developing and launching new natural solutions and our centrally located plant is well equipped for future growth within our popular FruitMax® range and other natural colour solutions."

In addition to increasing its manufacturing capabilities in the coming years, the company also plans to establish a new pilot plant in 2014.

Bennike added, "We have great expectations to the success in the market of our colouring foodstuff assortment.

"We have developed a full range of solutions that are fully compliant with the new EU Guidance Notes on colouring foodstuffs published in December, and this investment demonstrates that we consider the Canossa site a key building block in the Chr. Hansen manufacturing network for the Natural Colors Division."

According to Chr. Hansen, the global market for colouring foodstuffs is rapidly growing at a rate of 10%-15% per annum.

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Image: Chr. Hansen is upgrading its centre for colouring foodstuffs in Italy. Photo courtesy of Chr. Hansen A/S.