Pacific Fruit Processors, the value-added fruit ingredients operation within the SunOpta Fruit Group, has completed the installation of a state of the art aseptic processing line.
Target applications for the new equipment include fruit bases for yogurts, smoothies, fruit toppings and food service products, in both organic and conventional formats.
The additional capacity will allow the Fruit Group to pursue a number of potential new applications and customers, with revenue potential in excess of $20m in this value-added product category.
Michael Jacobs, president of Pacific Fruit Processor, said: “We have been near capacity at times over the past several years on aseptic processing. The new equipment will increase capacity, improve our throughput and also further enhance product quality and flexibility for our customers. We expect to fill the new capacity over the next 12-18 months.”
In addition, SunOpta Food Solutions, a division of the SunOpta International Foods Group, has added to its existing capabilities and installed two flexible pouch filling lines at a production facility in California (US).
The flexible re-sealable pouch market is well established in Europe and Asia and is rapidly expanding into the North American market. The pouch is applicable to a wide range of product categories including natural and organic fruit and vegetable snacks, apple sauces, tomato products, baby food, yogurts, toppings, and many more. These two filling lines have an estimated annual capacity of 36 million pouches and SunOpta has entered into agreements for the majority of this capacity.
The company has finalised arrangements for a facility to be located on the east coast of the US to accommodate the addition of two more flexible pouch filing lines, scheduled to be operational by August 1, 2012.
The facility will be expandable for additional pouch lines based on market demand and will have capacity to house additional fruit snack capabilities as current operations approach capacity.
Source: SunOpta
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