In order to support rapid business growth and diversification into new market areas, leading clean label ingredients specialists *Ulrick & Short Ltd* has invested in new technical facilities and extended its development area.
Based in West Yorkshire, the new test kitchen has been designed to deliver a more comprehensive and hands on experience for customers. Recognising the intense pressures that food manufactures are under, the company will now be able to not only fast track development projects, but also solve any process problems they may have even more quickly than before.
The six-figure sum for new equipment and increased space will allow the company to take culinary concepts directly to customers, which will help showcase the company’s ingredients in finished food applications.
As part of Ulrick & Short’s customer service offering, it provides a unique starch training programme and the addition of the new culinary presentation area will enable the company to build in a bespoke practical element to the training – giving customers’ first-hand experience of different starch functionality.
Ulrick & Short’s director, Adrian Short, commented: *”Understanding the complex make up of different starches can often be challenging and many overlook the vast functional qualities these have. Our development team works closely with customers to help them gain a true understanding of our ingredients, looking at how they will be affected in varying processing techniques and the organoleptic properties that can be achieved.”*
*”Ensuring our customers have a good overall experience is our number one priority and we are continually improving our internal practices to ensure that we can constantly meet customer specific requirements and help get new products to market as quickly and efficiently as possible. By doubling the size of our test kitchen we will be able to work more effectively with our customers as well as improving our own new product development capabilities to move into new market sectors more easily.”*
The added capacity will also support the company’s 48 hour sample turnaround period. Ulrick & Short’s continued business expansion, which could lead to more jobs, can be largely attributed to its forward thinking approach and ability to develop cost effective, clean label ingredient that fit with manufacturers’ requirements.
Whilst focusing on its core range of clean label starches, the company is currently introducing a new range of crops, which include rice and sweet potato, and has also recently added a new range of fibres to its extensive ingredient portfolio.