INFUSE by Cargill opens new ingredient innovation hub in Orhangazi, Turkey
Multinational food company Cargill is expanding its food formulation service INFUSE by Cargill into the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META) region, with the opening of a new ingredient innovation centre for the development of dairy products, in Orhangazi, a rural Turkish district in Bursa Province.
The new hub will comprise of a technical application centre and an ingredient blending production plant. It will be used to develop innovative ingredients for a range of different foods, including dairy products and dairy-free alternatives, and drinks so that producers can meet the current demands of consumers who are looking for more plant-based, low-calorie and low fat, and fibre- and protein-rich products.
The centre will include a pilot full-scale dairy production space, where ingredient and application experts can experiment with new solutions.
Cargill has so far invested $5M into expanding its ingredient solution services across the META region.
Cem Beysel, Cargill Foods Executive Committee Member & Chief Product and Marketing Officer for the META area said: “With this investment in Bursa Orhangazi, we will serve our customers as if this place is their own R&D center. The Application Center offers manufacturers texturizing blends. Mixtures, which are used in very low quantities in order to ensure the fluidity, aftertaste, rough and/or smoothness of the foods, meet the special needs of the customers while creating the advantage of speed and low cost.”
The new centre intends to help Cargill meet the demands of dairy manufacturers in META, who are looking to develop dairy products that are also affordable, with easy-to-apply ingredient blends to help them avoid supply chain issues and speed up the process of getting products onto the market.
“With more than 300 ingredients in our toolbox, we can quickly develop, deliver and optimize prototypes, dramatically shortening bench development time,” Beysel added. “Given today’s complex formulation challenges, the days of solving problems with a single ingredient are gone.
“We understand how ingredients work together and how to create optimal solutions. Producers in the META region are in search of innovative products that are suitable for consumers’ preferences and taste.
“On the other hand, manufacturers of new generation products, especially vegan dairy alternatives, are also in search of solutions for the localization and local production of imported formulas. With the application center, we will support the development of the most suitable solution for the needs in the fastest way possible.”
