Home / Media Hub / CP Kelco Invests More Than $50 Million in Citrus Fiber Capacity Expansion

CP Kelco Invests More Than $50 Million in Citrus Fiber Capacity Expansion

Strong Customer Demand & Market Potential Are Key Drivers to Build New Production Line

ATLANTA, September 9, 2021 – CP Kelco, a global leader of nature-based ingredient solutions, announced today that it will invest more than $50 million to expand production capacity for NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber, based on strong customer demand and market potential. With this significant capital investment, the company will have ample capacity for supporting current and future customers’ citrus fiber supply needs.

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 and establishing CP Kelco as a leading citrus fiber supplier to food, beverage and consumer product manufacturers worldwide. The new production line is expected to be complete and operational in 2023, with options to incrementally expand capacity in the future based on customer needs.

Launched in December 2019, NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber is a unique, next-generation ingredient made from sustainably sourced citrus peels, a byproduct of the juicing industry. Developed in response to continuing consumer demand for food and beverage products with less ingredients, less sugar and less fat, NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber can help manufacturers of these products meet clean label needs while achieving critical functionality that ensures their desired taste and texture. Key applications include condiments, dressings, soups, fruit-flavored beverages, bakery goods, and dairy and alternative protein products.

“We are excited about reaching this important milestone in our journey with NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber, which originated as a proof-of-concept only four years ago,” said Didier Viala, President of CP Kelco. “As a result of strong collaboration amongst our global team members and development partners since that time, our citrus fiber has evolved into a robust product line for use across a range of food and beverage applications, with a growing customer pipeline globally. We look forward to continuing to explore the possibilities for NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber in additional application segments.”

About CP Kelco

CP Kelco is a nature-based ingredient solutions company with approximately 90 years of experience working with food, beverage, consumer and industrial products manufacturers worldwide. What sets us apart:

Unlocking Nature-Powered Success®. Apply ingredient innovation and problem-solving to develop customized solutions that leverage our regional insights and meet manufacturers’ goals to address consumer needs and preferences.
Unique Portfolio. Produces extensive range of high-quality, plant-based and fermentation-derived ingredients to formulate tailored solutions.
Technical Excellence. Offers strong collaboration with a global team of scientists and applications experts, leveraging our regional state-of-the art R&D facilities.
Committed to providing responsibly sourced and produced ingredients.
Market Insights. Understands market and consumer trends to help customers create relevant and innovative products.

Our key product lines include gellan gum, pectin, carrageenan, xanthan gum, diutan gum, fermentation-derived cellulose, refined locust bean gum, microparticulated whey protein concentrate and our latest innovation, NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber.

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KELCO-VIS^®Diutan Gum offers a versatile approach to product formulation. It was developed to address the rheology challenges of various industrial, agricultural and consumer applications. Its compatibility allows use in many different operating conditions where other materials may not work, including harsh temperatures, low-water systems and cationic formulations. Essentially, it improves performance by controlling flow. With excellent stability through very high pseudoplasticity, its potential is vast, including

Cleaners, foams and spray-on applications that effectively cover inclined surfaces
Even suspension of pigments in pourable paints and coatings
Household and industrial cleaners and sealants
Solvent thickening of glycol systems
Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and other agrochemicals
Topical pesticide sprays, gels and pour-on liquids for companion animals, such as dogs and cats
Professional pest control, home lawn and garden and turf management products.

Formulations for the applications above often utilize an active ingredient suspended in water. However, the active ingredient can fall out of suspension, crystalize and lose potency due to temperature shifts and time.

KELCO-VIS^®Diutan Gum helps to maximize shelf life and efficacy by preventing sedimentation of abrasive particles. This versatile rheology modifier provides excellent stabilization, high viscosity and high pseudoplasticity at low use concentrations.

Learn more about CP Kelco’s diutan gum ingredient solutions.

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Performance of highly fluid, technically demanding systems such as concrete, mortar and grout can be challenged by variations in temperature, moisture and material content. This affects workability, rebar adhesion and penetration. KELCO-CRETE^® Diutan Gum can help. Using KELCO-CRETE^® Diutan Gum in the formulation can improve robustness so the product is far more consistent, flexible and easy to use. Mixes designed with KELCO-CRETE^® Diutan Gum can fill framework and pass through congested steel reinforcement without bleeding. At rest and under shear, it exhibits an effective combination of pseudoplasticity to protect during production, transport, pumping and overall performance. When shear is applied (such as in pouring, mixing, troweling and leveling), the change in viscosity is nearly instantaneous so the mix readily flows for uniform distribution and excellent stability. This can reduce the probability of rejected loads at the jobsite.

KELCO-CRETE^® Diutan Gum is fast-hydrating to increase plastic viscosity and yield stress, resulting in a fluid that readily flows, yet has excellent stability.

Learn more about CP Kelco’s diutan gum ingredient solutions.

Home / Insights / How to Clean Up Home Care Products

How to Clean Up Home Care Products

Consumers across all segments like to read product labels before purchasing. They have great expectations for ingredient transparency and would like brands to show how “clean” their labels are. We’ve seen the rise of ‘clean beauty’ transforming the personal care market. The trend has also reached home care, including laundry detergent, fabric softeners and dishwashing detergent. (Should we call it clean cleaning?) Let’s take a look at how it started and how it’s going.

In 2020, a survey by IBM and the National Retail Federation looked at consumer shopping behavior in 28 countries.

Nearly eight in 10 survey respondents said that sustainability was important. Seven in 10 said they were looking for specific attributes in their product choice, and nearly six in 10 would change their shopping habits to help reduce negative environmental impact.

What do consumers look for? Here is a partial list of issues that could be important:

Not containing chemicals harmful to my family

Not containing chemicals harmful to the environment

Biodegradable

Free from plastics

Made from plants/vegan

Food-grade ingredients

Paraben free

Understanding of fragrance ingredients/use essential oils

Hypoallergenic/Gentle on skin

Cruelty free

Concentrated formula

No product waste/recyclable packaging

Treatment of employees and concern for community

As we can see from the list above, the issues reflect a concern of “doing no harm” to the health of humans, animals and our waterways.

Why Biodegradability Is Central to Sustainability

Manufacturers are turning to more plant-based surfactants, enzymes and other functional materials rather than petroleum-based solutions, and more concentrated formulations for less packaging. However, ingredients also need to be biodegradable to break down rapidly in a way that is not harmful to the environment or waterways.

Researchers estimate that about eight million metric tons of waste plastic enters the ocean every year. Microplastics – those scrubbing, pearlescent and fragrance beads used to differentiate home and personal care formulations – were part of the plastic problem. They began to appear in body washes, liquid face soaps, dishwashing liquid, liquid laundry detergents and fabric softeners in the ‘70s. Consumers liked the idea of scent capsules that helped provide long-lasting freshness. Manufacturers liked that they were economical and rinsed off easily.

However, the microplastics also passed straight through wastewater treatment systems, which were not designed to filter them. Since the microplastics were not biodegradable, they tended to accumulate in waterways and could be ingested by marine life, potentially entering our food supply. Many countries now ban the use of microplastics, and the search is on for a biodegradable alternative.

CELLULON™ Cellulose Liquid: A Biodegradable Stabilizer

Any new technology to replace microplastics will require something to stabilize it in liquid formulations. CELLULON™ Cellulose Liquid may be just the hero stabilizer that formulators need. Chemically identical to plant-derived cellulose, CELLULON™ Cellulose Liquid is produced by a microbial fermentation process.

This provides several unique benefits:

It is biodegradable and eco-friendly with a lifecycle not dependent on land and water usage
It forms a 3D, net-like structure to easily suspend opacifiers
High surface area-to-weight ratio
Not sensitive to temperature, salt or pH
Compatible with highly concentrated formulas
Disperses easily
Dilutes quickly
Won’t thicken or affect pour viscosity
Dependable, batch-to-batch repeatability for
scale up
Low cost in use

In summary, biodegradability should be an essential part of your sustainability commitment when looking to clean up your home care formulations.

Home / Insights / An A-peeling, Label-Friendly Solution for Baking

An A-peeling, Label-Friendly Solution for Baking

NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber is nature-based dietary fiber made from sustainably sourced citrus peels, a byproduct of the juicing industry. Our process allows us to convert the citrus peels into a citrus fiber that is close to nature and suitable for a broad range of food and beverage products.

‘Clean Label’ is a consumer-driven, global movement that continues to evolve over time and across regions. With a new focus on health, understandably, consumers are paying extra close attention to labels. Ingredients matter. According to GlobalData, 47% of global consumers report that ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients are more important to them than before the pandemic. Consumers prefer to see a shorter ingredient list; and want companies to use ingredients that are more recognizable. They also have varied dietary needs and want companies to support them by offering more products that are gluten-free, kosher, halal, or have reduced sugar and fat.

Meeting these clean label requirements, and still achieving your desired functionality, can become a formulation challenge. How do you create products that don’t compromise on taste and texture?

One answer lies in a next-generation ingredient solution. NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber supports dietary fiber intake with soluble and insoluble fiber. It is derived from an abundant, nature-based supply of raw material, the fresh citrus peel byproduct of the juicing industry. Citrus peel naturally has a high pectin content and the inherent pectin is retained as soluble fiber in NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber. NUTRAVA Citrus Fiber is also considered a food ingredient in Europe with no E-number.

NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber boost for Label-Friendly Baking

Product Differentiation:

Supports dietary fiber intake
Listed as citrus fiber on the label
Sustainably sourced
Allows for a simpler, label-friendly
ingredient list
Reduces number of ingredients

Key Functional Benefits:

Supports soft texture with neutral taste
Supports stabilizing properties
Supports good dough development
Maintains freshness over shelf life
Increases yield due to high water binding
Offers a clean label solution for gluten-free baking formulations

Baking Gluten Free

Gluten-free baking presents a host of challenges, usually related to texture. How do you develop gluten-free cakes and baked goods that are fluffy, tender and moist instead of gritty, dry or dense? NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber boost makes it possible to attain the texture and desired mouthfeel you want, while using standard manufacturing processes. The answer is its unique water-binding capacity that boosts dough hydration and increases yield. NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber boost can also be used to improve the texture and freshness of gluten-free baked goods over shelf life.

Reducing Fat

Fat has a functional benefit in the formulation of baked goods. It affects the texture, flavor and overall enjoyable eating experience. However, consumers want manufacturers to reduce fat, especially trans-fat and hydrogenated oils – but they still expect the same, desired taste and texture. In other words, they want “healthy indulgence;” they want their cake and they want to eat it, too. NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber boost, with its soluble and insoluble fiber, holds water tightly and gives the cake structure. The fiber helps to provides similar sensory characteristics to a full-fat recipe in crust appearance, volume and a soft, moist texture inside.

For more tips, see our infographic for seven ways to clean up your label.

For more information or to request a sample, contact us here.

Home / Insights / Ingredients for Success With Plant-Based Yogurt Alternatives

Ingredients for Success With Plant-Based Yogurt Alternatives

With campaigns such as ‘Veganuary’ attracting global attention and 51% average annual growth in food and beverage launches with plant-based claims (Innova Market Insights: Global, CAGR 2015-2020), the plant-based diet has gone mainstream. One in four consumers globally is “actively trying to increase consumption of plant-based protein,” according to Global Data’s 2020 dairy trend report.

It’s no wonder that plant-based, dairy alternative products continue to grow in popularity. They can appeal to consumers with lactose intolerance and dairy allergies as well as the flexitarians and food explorers. There has been a boom in new product launches of spoonable, non-dairy yogurt alternatives since 2015, projected to be seven times that of dairy yogurt, according to Innova Market Insights. Drinking yogurts – both dairy and plant-based – are also becoming a popular protein snack loved by all ages. Making the snack even more convenient for both consumers and companies alike, the idea of ambient drinking yogurts (ADY) was born. Without a need for refrigeration, ADY can be stored anywhere and enjoyed anytime. See why we’re making the case for long shelf-life drinking yogurt here.

Taste and texture are key – especially when trying to reach the flexitarian consumer and compete with traditional dairy counterparts for shelf space. Consumers expect plant-based, non-dairy yogurt alternatives to have all the great qualities of dairy – the same rich mouthfeel, texture and creaminess – even a similar appearance. Textural challenges can arise from the absence of milkfat as well as the natural grittiness of plant protein. Earthy or beany notes can also impact flavor.

Choosing The Right Stabilizer System

The true secret to achieving success in plant-based, non-dairy yogurt alternatives is choosing the right stabilizer system. It can help solve the most common challenges in both stirred and sippable formulations: syneresis control, suspension of insoluble particles and protein protection, in addition to contributing to texture, body and mouthfeel.

GENU^® Pectin is an easily recognized, label-friendly ingredient extracted from citrus peels. It can be used to protect proteins at an acidic pH and provide long-lasting stability over shelf life while also preventing sedimentation and syneresis. A well-known gelling agent, pectin can help formulators create a creamy, spoonable texture by delivering that missing “fat sensation” and optimize mouthfeel as it helps with flavor deliver.

KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum is a multifunctional, fermentation-derived ingredient for solving plant-based protein challenges, with a composition identical to the naturally occurring bacteria on water lily pond plants. It provides stabilization and suspension of insoluble protein, calcium, minerals and other particles in yogurt drinks while contributing minimal mouthfeel and ensuring a smooth pour.

The Health Halo

For its 2020 Top Ten Trends Survey, Innova Market Insights asked consumers around the globe why they chose to eat plant-based foods. Their top reasons included “it is healthier” and “it is better for the planet.” With a health halo adding to the growing interest in trying plant-based applications, a clean, recognizable label is also critical. Product developers should honor this perception of health and sustainability in their choice of stabilizers. Using nature-based ingredients such as GENU^® Pectin and KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum will complement your plant proteins. Ask about grades available to meet claims of organic compliance, non-GMO, gluten-free and other clean label goals. Because of their multifunctional qualities, GENU^® Pectin and KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum can also help formulators shorten their ingredient list overall.

When a product developer is able to connect all of the elements of innovation, there is no limit to the potential for success with plant-based, non-dairy yogurt alternatives.

¹ Innova; Global, CAGR 2015-2020 YTD

² Veganuary.com

³ GlobalData 2020 Dairy Trend Report

⁴ Innova Nutrition & Health Survey 2020

⁵ Innova Market Insights

Home / Insights / 4 Reasons to Formulate Your Next Beverage Innovation with Gellan Gum

4 Reasons to Formulate Your Next Beverage Innovation with Gellan Gum

Think about all the new trends impacting the beverage industry: plant-based, health and wellbeing, plus consumers’ requests for clean label, vegan, organic and reduced-sugar options. The role of innovation is more important now than ever. If you want to stand out on a crowded store shelf, it’s time to outfit your formulator’s toolbox with a product that helps you maximize sensory appeal and functionality.

Whether you’re suspending botanicals in an energy drink, creating an indulgent, plant-based smoothie or recovering body in a reduced-calorie beverage, nature-based KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum is the multifunctional, go-to ingredient you’ve been looking for. Discovered in a water lily pond and developed by CP Kelco almost 40 years ago, it is a highly effective, soluble fiber. And it just keeps getting better and better. As we collaborate with product developers like you, we learn about your needs and keep advancing in technology. KELCOGEL^® DF Gellan Gum is the next-generation, dual function problem solver for suspension and mouthfeel. Because nature-based ingredients form the core of everything we do, quality and sustainability are built into our DNA. We’re proud to be leading the way in ingredient innovation.

Here are four ways KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum can empower your next beverage innovation:

1. Dual function = less ingredients, more flexibility.

Consumers want to see fewer ingredients listed on product labels. So, expect more out of the ingredients you use: more function and more benefits. KELCOGEL^® DF Gellan Gum offers dual function for clean label beverage solutions and cost savings for you. A little accomplishes a lot in terms of suspension, stabilization and texture (more details to come below). We support the development of products with shorter ingredient lists to meet ever-changing consumer demands and evolve our solutions to meet your expectations. You focus on creative product development; we’ll help you rise above all the challenges.

2. Think beyond suspension.

Innovative KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum is a master of long-term suspension, so you don’t have to worry about protein, minerals, vitamins, cocoa powder or fruit settling at the bottom. It also enables exceptional suspension without increasing the viscosity or mouthfeel of your finished beverage. So now it’s time to think big – there is a world of possibility beyond traditional suspension capability just waiting to be unlocked!

3. Stabilization assured.

How much food waste happens because separation has occurred? Maintaining product consistency over the course of shelf life is imperative. Your beverage must deliver the promise of the ingredient benefits in every sip, and it must taste and look good, without separation and settling. As new alternative protein sources come along, so do new stabilization challenges. Protein powders can be difficult to hydrate, and sensitive to heat and pH, so there’s always a threat of protein instability in the finished beverage. KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum forms a fluid gel to stabilize your beverage and prevent phase separation with minimal impact on viscosity. No matter if you’re using dairy milk or plant proteins, KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum provides stabilization.

4. Get superior flavor release and texture.

Great texture can be compared to making a memorable first impression. However, most consumers won’t even think about texture unless it’s inferior. A gelatinous chocolate milk or a watery almond beverage could turn off a customer for good. There is also a lot of body and flavor lost when reducing sugar. We know it can be hard to describe the mouthfeel you want in a finished product, but we encourage formulators to address their texture needs up front in the process to achieve them. Define the richness, creaminess and other specific attributes you want consumers to experience when tasting your beverage and we can help you attain them. Innovative KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum should be the first tool in your texture toolbox. It has excellent taste release and it also plays well with other texturants to help you achieve your desired mouthfeel.

Our global team of market-leading technical experts is ready to help you develop better-for-you beverages that range from light and refreshing to rich and decadent. Let us know your goals and we will be happy to assist you. Ask us about tailoring a KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum solution to address your specific needs, including vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified, organic-compliant, gluten-free and other clean label ideals.

For more information or to request a sample, contact us here.

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