SWEDEN – Ingredion has partnered with Lantmännen, an agricultural cooperative, to invest over US$105.8 million in a new factory in Sweden.
This state-of-the-art facility, expected to be operational by 2027, will focus on producing high-quality pea protein isolates from yellow peas.
The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of plant-based proteins while enhancing sales, product innovation, and production processes.
According to Ingredion, the partnership will initially focus on meeting European market demands for sustainably sourced and competitively priced pea protein isolates.
Mike O’Riordan, Ingredion’s Senior VP of Texture and Healthful Solutions in EMEA, stated, “By joining forces with Lantmännen, we are expanding our footprint in the European market.”
“This partnership enables us to deliver superior, sustainably sourced pea protein isolates that meet the evolving needs of the global market.”
Lars-Gunnar Edh, Executive VP of the Lantmännen Energy Sector and CEO of Lantmännen Biorefineries, highlighted the complementary nature of the collaboration.
“Ingredion’s market reach and process expertise perfectly complement our vertically integrated production capabilities,” he said.
The companies plan to showcase their innovative solutions at the Food Ingredients Europe event from November 19-21, 2024, in Frankfurt, Germany.
Pea protein’s expanding role in the F&B industry
Ingredion recently expanded its product line by introducing a pea protein specifically designed for beverages. This ingredient offers high solubility and a neutral taste, aligning with various flavor profiles.
The firm views upcycling as an emerging trend, focusing on turning plant-based materials into value-added ingredients for diverse markets.
Pea protein, with a minimum of 80% protein content, provides wide functionality, including solubility, emulsifying, and texture-enhancing properties.
It is also sustainable, highly digestible, and free from allergen declarations. These attributes make it increasingly popular in the food and beverage industry, where protein ingredient use has grown by 4% between 2019 and 2024, according to Innova Market Insights.
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