Muntons spies more demand for malt

04-Aug-2010 - Last updated on 05-Aug-2010 at 09:36 GMT

Related tags Europe

Muntons says it is seeing record demand for its malt and malted ingredients, which it attributes to growing industry awareness of their manifold technical uses in food products.

The UK-based ingredients firm is now producing over 70,000 tonnes of malt and 30,000 tonnes of malt-based extracts per year at its headquarters in Stowmarket. It has the capacity to make 6,000 tonnes of spray and band-dried extract a year, and also has a 10,000 tonne malt flour million and malted cereal facility.

“Interest in malted ingredients has escalated over recent years as the benefits of these ingredients are becoming recognised within the food, baking and beverage industries,” says the company. “These include; natural sweetening, flavour enhancement, improved keeping quality, enhanced mouth-feel and increased colour intensity.”

The company has made a number of investments in recent years to increase its output by 3000 tonnes +, and has been paying attention to lean manufacturing and optimization of processes.

Last year it opened its new centre of excellence in Stowmarket in the UK, where the company is based. This called for an investment of £0.5m, and its focus is on bakery and brewing ingredients.

In liquid extract packing £95,000 was spent on a semi automated packing line in a purpose built packing room and in the homebrew canning area, where a further £115,000 was invested in line improvements and wine kit filling.

Building the market

The company declined to give any further comment on whether the demand stems from the domestic UK food sector or the wider European scene – but certainly Muntons has been extending its reach in continental Europe this year.

In February it signed a new multi-country distribution deal with distributor Barentz covering Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland and Romania. It had previously had a deal with Barentz covering France and Italy.

The company had previously supplied its ingredients directly in the new European markets, but the deal helps it reach new customers it has not previously had access to, as its malted ingredients will be presented to companies that are already buying other products sold by Barentz.