CP Kelco ramps up citrus fiber production with US$50M investment in Brazilian facility

10 Sep 2021 --- CP Kelco is investing more than US$50 million in citrus fiber capacity expansion at a facility in Brazil. The company’s citrus fiber has evolved into a robust product line across various food and beverage applications. Sauces, soups, condiments, alternative dairy beverages and gluten-free baked goods are all spotlighted as potential uses.

Company president, Didier Viala, examines how NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber supports dietary fiber intake and syneresis control, emulsion stability, texture, mouthfeel, and an overall desirable consumer experience that is often lacking when reducing sugar and fat in formulations.

“NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber is nature-based and made from sustainably sourced citrus peels, an abundant byproduct of the juice industry near our plant. CP Kelco’s proprietary manufacturing process allows us to convert citrus peel into citrus fiber,” he tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“Citrus peel naturally has a high pectin content and the inherent pectin is retained as soluble fiber. The typical content of dietary fiber in NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber is at a minimum of 80 percent with an approximately balanced amount of soluble and insoluble fiber. This novel composition makes it suitable for a broad range of food and beverage products.”

The expansion will add a second NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber production line to the company’s facility in Matão, Brazil, increasing total capacity to around 5,000 metric tons.NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber also allows for a simpler ingredient list. It is an easily recognizable, label-friendly fiber that is considered a food and not an additive in Europe, stresses Viala. It can be listed as citrus fiber on the label and it has no E-number.

Demand for dietary fiber
CP Kelco’s expansion in Brazil comes amid strong customer demand and market potential for citrus fiber solutions. 

It is the second major move in the pectin space this week. Yesterday, Cargill inaugurated a US$150 million pectin production facility in Bebedouro – the heart of Brazil’s citrus-growing region. 

Its proximity to citrus fields ensures an abundant supply of fresh fruit peels, the raw material required for premium pectin production.

Expanding the production line 
The expansion project will add a second NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber production line to the company’s facility in Matão, Brazil, increasing total capacity to approximately 5,000 metric tons.

The new production line is expected to be complete and fully operational in 2023, with options to increase capacity in the future.

NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber was initially launched in late 2019, pegged as a next-generation ingredient made from sustainably sourced citrus peels, a byproduct of the juicing industry. 

Its development and expansion will continue to answer increasing consumer demand for food and beverage products with fewer ingredients, less sugar and less fat.

“We will grow and innovate with our customers. We want to be ready to serve this growing market need and enable our customers to provide exciting new options to accommodate consumer demand,” Viala continues. 

“Some of the applications that we have explored include sauces, dressings and condiments (including a vegan, eggless mayonnaise-like dressing), reduced-pulp fruit juices, starch-free yogurt fruit preparations, gluten-free baked goods, dairy and dairy alternative beverages and yogurts, meat and meat alternatives, and pet food.”

“We are also actively exploring applications beyond foods and beverages that can benefit from NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber as consumers demand simpler, sustainably sourced and more easily recognizable ingredients from all their products,” he notes. 

Consumer trends & market dynamics 
Viala explains the key drivers behind the increased demand for dietary fibers and how all the consumer trends are converging, perhaps due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber was initially launched in late 2019, pegged as a next-generation ingredient made from sustainably sourced citrus peels, a byproduct of the juicing industry.

“There is an increased focus on health and wellness as well as growing concern for the planet,” he stresses. “Consumers are very interested in simpler, more recognizable labels and better-for-you/better-for-the-planet food and beverage options.”

They are open to trying new products, including plant-based foods and beverages, but they do not want to compromise on taste, texture and experience. 

“So, developing products with less ingredients, less sugar and less fat brings formulation challenges of water-binding, emulsion stability, viscosity and mouthfeel. In addition to supporting dietary fiber intake, NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber can help solve these challenges.”

What’s coming next?
Viala describes the citrus fiber expansion as an “important milestone” for CP Kelco, noting that NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber originated as a proof-of-concept only four years ago.

“We see an exciting future ahead for NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber. The possibilities are almost infinite with this next-generation ingredient.”

However, this is still a fairly new offering, he notes.

“By co-creating and working together with our customers and distributors, we will come up with opportunities, formulations and applications that we are not even thinking about today,” Viala concludes. 

By Gaynor Selby