Malic acid demand boosts Bartek Ingredients capital investment program

15 Feb 2019 --- Bartek Ingredients Inc., specialized in malic acid, food-grade fumaric acid and maleic anhydride for food and beverage applications, has completed a 4,000 ton/year capacity increase of its malic acid production facilities. The company is planning more investments as part of a series of process and production improvements planned for this year. The capacity expansion also closely follows TorQuest Partners’ acquisition of Bartek Ingredients Inc in November 2018.

Canada-headquartered Bartek is expanding its capacity and capabilities to allow for greater flexibility and support of its food, beverage and confectionery, as well as animal nutrition and industrial customers.

“Our investment is intended to stay ahead of global demand. The utility of malic acid is quite broad. It’s used to enhance flavor in many different beverages, add sour in confections, extend shelf life in bakery systems and replace antibiotics in animal feed.It’s not hard to see why investment is needed to stay ahead of all these uses,” a company spokesperson tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“We are responding to the markets looking for specific solutions to their ever-changing needs: new products, new packages, new particle sizes and custom solutions. Bartek recognizes that value can be added in a variety of ways, making it easier for customers to transact business.” 

In foods and beverages space, Bartek’s malic acid ingredients – commonly used in beverages and candies, as well as other food applications – impart a desirable sourness reflective of fruit flavor profiles like apples and citrus fruits and delivers an array of functional benefits, including intensifying flavors, improving aftertaste and deepening and broadening the flavor profiles of a variety of applications.

In addition to its malic acid ingredients, Bartek produces fumaric acid products that extend shelf life, improve machinability, and deliver a cost-in-use benefit in baked goods, fruit juices, candies, jellies and jams, notes the company. 

Bartek’s additional projects scheduled for completion in 2019 include state-of-the-art upgrades to Bartek’s laboratories and office facilities, the company notes. Bartek’s capacity production expansion is driven by increased demand for malic acid, fumaric acid and maleic anhydride.

However, this first capital investment demonstrates how the company is strengthening its growing acidulant business. 

“Since TorQuest Partners’ acquisition of Bartek in October of 2018, we’ve executed several significant capital projects to expand our capacity and improve efficiency,” Bartek CEO John Burrows says. “Among these is an initiative to further increase malic and fumaric acid capacity by an additional 5,000 tons/year in 2019.”

“Bartek’s presence will grow substantially in 2019 with the introduction of new products and packages to meet market demands and we will continue to add value for our customers through a series of planned initiatives,” Bartek’s Vice President of Sales Dave Tapajna adds.