US freeze dry facility

Chaucer, a global producer of specialist food ingredients and products, has announced the opening of its brand new, purpose built freeze dry factory in Oregon in the US.

This is the third manufacturing platform for the company. The group now has a spread of facilities across its three key sales areas EMEA, Americas and APAC, (France and China holding the additional facilities). This has the key strategic benefit of enabling the company to work with customers on a closer geographic basis and similar time zones. Efficiencies will also be realised by the manufacture of products closer to where they are required, while always retaining robust contingency planning from the other two sites.

The new facility’s operations will focus on the freeze drying of fruit and vegetables, from whole fruits and vegetables through to slices, dice and powdered formats. The products will subsequently be packaged into a wide variety of carton size configurations. In addition the facility will also be equipped to provide customers with retail and foodservice pack formats for supply to Chaucer’s customers, which include a variety of small and large food manufacturers covering the cereal, confectionery, bakery, beverage and snack industries.

Global consumer demand for freeze dry has never been higher, as the modern consumer is increasingly focused on improved food quality and natural clean ingredient declarations. Freeze dry ingredients are 100 per cent natural with no added flavour, colour or preservatives. In addition they retain up to 98 per cent of their nutrients including the all-important vitamins, minerals and phenolic compounds found in the fresh material. It is these excellent nutritional and natural qualities that are also being seized upon by consumers looking for healthy and tasty snacks.

Further expansion of the facility is planned in the mid-term to take further advantage of the growing market place.
Andy Ducker, CEO of Chaucer comments: “We are delighted to announce the opening of our new US facility, a milestone achievement for the company, which underpins our positioning as one of the global leaders on the freeze dry stage. We work at the very forefront of the freeze dried and specialist food ingredient global markets and are very excited about our new phase of development”.

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