DuPont to Increase US Probiotics Capacity by 70 Percent
02 Nov 2016 --- DuPont Nutrition & Health have announced a significant investment to expand probiotics production capacity in the US. The investment is the second phase of a broader probiotics expansion project due to the rapidly growing global demand for probiotics. Phase One, supporting current growth, is ongoing in Madison, Wis., and Rochester, N.Y., and will be partially complete by the end of 2016. The second phase is scheduled to span two-years, represents an investment of approximately $100 million, and increases the company’s probiotics production capacity by an additional 70 percent.
Production will be optimized with the installation of new, high-volume fermenters and other processing equipment.
According to Innova Market Insights data, in 2016 YTD (Jan-Oct), the US accounted for 36.7% of launches featuring the word "probiotic," ahead of Canada (5.9%), China (5.5%) and India (3.6%), but it is important to note that the use of the word is no longer permitted in the EU. The market categories where probiotics are listed most as an ingredient during this period are in the dairy (34.4%) and supplements (24.8%) categories.
Steve Prescott, Regional Product Manager, Probiotics, told FoodIngredientsFirst: “Additional capacity will allow us to keep pace with the increasing demand for probiotics. Consumers are demanding products positioned more to their specific needs, which is driving the desire for additional strains and higher CFU counts. By taking these steps, our customers benefit from the ability to commercialize new strains and introduce new products to the market.”
“This investment reinforces our commitment to the probiotics industry. We see strong growth worldwide, and increasing our capacity enables our partners to continue growing and capturing the opportunities from very favorable market trends,” said Matthias Heinzel, president, DuPont Nutrition & Health.
“As we phase in more capacity, we will continue to maintain the high potency, stability and efficacy in our products that have made DuPont the global probiotics leader. Quality is extremely important in probiotic production, and our reputation for manufacturing quality has always been a differentiator with DuPont probiotics,” Heinzel noted.
Probiotics have seen rapid adoption. In the US, consumer awareness is at an all-time high (75 percent), according to the Natural Marketing Institute. Health-conscious consumers are addressing personal health concerns by including probiotics in their daily health and wellness routines.
“Consumers want to proactively take care of their health, and they’re increasingly turning to probiotics to fill that need,” said John Rea, global business unit leader for Probiotics, Cultures, Food Protection and HMOs.
“We have found through proprietary research that consumers feel probiotics offer a great way to improve their overall health and wellness. And they see probiotics playing the role of a ‘balancer’ in the midst of a stress-filled, fast-paced lifestyle,” explains Rea.
For more than 30 years, DuPont Nutrition & Health has been a global leader in the science, research and production of probiotics. Today DuPont continues that tradition with microbiome work, researching novel uses of probiotics for health and wellness. DuPont Danisco HOWARU premium probiotics and FloraFit custom probiotics, which are used in food, beverage, dietary supplement and animal nutrition products, are produced at the Rochester location. The broad portfolio of DuPont probiotic strains is backed by comprehensive clinical studies and documentation, showing efficacy in the support of immune and digestive health.
by Elizabeth Kenward
