FlavorSum: Enhancing Flavor Solutions with Kalamazoo Expansion and NJ Innovation Center

FlavorSum, a leading North American flavor producer, has announced the completion of a 35,000-square-foot expansion at its facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The expansion aims to enhance the site's emulsion, extraction, and warehousing capacity, while also incorporating process automation to improve efficiency, quality, and safety. This move further solidifies FlavorSum as the go-to flavor solutions partner for small, mid-sized, and emerging food and beverage companies.

The newly opened on-site Innovation Center at the Kalamazoo facility features a pilot plant with state-of-the-art UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) and HTST (High-Temperature Short-Time) processing capabilities. This addition supports FlavorSum's Dairy Center of Excellence, allowing the company to explore new avenues and create innovative flavor solutions.

Brian Briggs, President and CEO of FlavorSum, emphasizes the company's commitment to simplifying flavor sourcing and new product development. In his words, "We remain focused on reducing the headaches associated with flavor sourcing and new product development. We continue to build our capabilities and resources as the go-to flavor solutions partner for small, mid-sized and emerging food and beverage companies."

FlavorSum's dedication to growth and expansion extends beyond Michigan. Alongside its Innovation Centers in Kalamazoo and Mississauga, the company is launching a 10,000-square-foot Innovation Center in Marlton, New Jersey. This new facility houses an expanded flavor creation lab, analytical and application spaces, enabling collaborative sessions with a technical team specialized in food and beverage flavor solutions. The NJ Innovation Center also includes the Beverage Center of Excellence, featuring pilot capabilities for carbonation, canning, tunnel pasteurization, and hot filling.

Dave Franz, FlavorSum's Chief Commercial Officer, highlights the value of the Innovation Centers in facilitating partnership opportunities with customers. He states, "Our Innovation Centers offer customers the opportunity to partner on-site with our flavorists and applications experts and speed the product development cycle. We now have locations in close proximity to customers across the US and Canada that also give us access to multiple talent pools. Our operational structure helps customers achieve their growth goals with resources like market insights, regulatory experts, and streamlined commercialization processes. We prioritize continuous improvement to keep pace with their needs."

With the expansion complete, FlavorSum plans to hold an official ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony at the Kalamazoo facility in Spring 2024. This celebration will mark a significant milestone for the company and the region, showcasing the economic growth benefits that the expansion brings to Michigan and the Kalamazoo area.

About FlavorSum:

FlavorSum is a company dedicated to helping growing North American food and beverage companies launch products quickly and cost-effectively. With its expertise and infrastructure in flavor solutions, FlavorSum supports businesses in keeping up with the changing needs of food and beverage buyers. As a portfolio company owned by The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm, FlavorSum is committed to driving innovation and delivering top-quality flavor solutions to its customers.

In conclusion, FlavorSum's expansion in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the opening of its new Innovation Center in New Jersey demonstrate its ongoing commitment to providing innovative flavor solutions to the food and beverage industry. With advanced processing capabilities and collaborative spaces, FlavorSum is well-positioned to support the growth and development of its customers while maintaining its status as a trusted flavor solutions partner.