France-based acacia gum manufacturer Alland & Robert plans to invest €11 million (US$12.9 million) early next year to install a fourth production line at its plant in Saint Aubin sur Gaillon, Normandy.
The move will increase its production capacity by 45 percent, bringing it from 20,000 tons processed per year to 29,000 tons.
This increase in production capacity responds to a spike in global demand for acacia gum, which the company estimates to be approximately 60,000 tons per year.
“This new investment comes on top of the €3 million (US$3.5 million) already invested in 2020 and 2021 to improve our existing production facilities,” says Frédéric Alland, president of Alland & Robert.
The new facility is scheduled to open at the end of 2022. A new global production unit will be put in place to increase its acacia gum production capacity.
“We are happy the COVID-19 crisis hasn’t slowed down our project,” Alland adds.
For 2020, the company estimates its turnover will increase by approximately 8 percent. It was €45 million (US$52.8 million) in 2019.
The expansion of Alland & Robert’s plant is set to begin in 2021, covering an area of 8,000 square meters, which will double the plant surface.
Natural gums in demand
Acacia gum is a natural, plant-based, and health-haloed ingredient that is used in thousands of everyday products.
In the food industry, acacia gum is used to generate texture, emulsify and stabilize. It is also widely used in winemaking, with recent studies by the company demonstrating its mechanism for preserving wine’s color while reducing sedimentation.
Keeping up with sustainability trends
The acacia gum market is growing, according to reports from the company.
This may be due to acacia gum’s ability to respond to many of today’s consumer trends.
Acacia gum can be leveraged to formulate vegetarian and vegan products, which consumers are increasingly searching for today.
Acacia gum’s origin story taps into Innova Market Insights top trend for 2020 “Storytelling: Winning with Words.”
Notably, acacia gum comes directly from nature. It is harvested by hand in sub-Saharan Africa in ways that support ethical and sustainable development.
This year, Alland & Robert launched the initiative “Let’s plant acacias together,” which seeks to tackle climate change and protect livelihoods in the African Sahel.
The tree-planting project is carried out in collaboration with Tree Aid, a UK-based charity specialized in reforesting the African drylands.
Beyond acacia
This summer, Alland & Robert unveiled certified organic karaya gum. Karaya gum, like acacia, is a tree exudate with texturizing properties.
The expansion into the organic category was a result of “many requests from customers,” Violaine Fauvarque, marketing manager at Alland & Robert, told FoodIngredientsFirst at the time.
Alland & Robert reports it is gaining markets around the world and is now exporting natural gums to more than 70 countries.
