SOUTH AFRICA- Natural ingredients company Döhler has announced plans to expand its Paarl manufacturing plant to enhance product availability and expand customizable ingredient variety in a move that would significantly enhance the company’s operations and market access in Africa.  

The expansion will introduce new production lines for compounds, emulsions, and flavor offerings. The expanded manufacturing facility is also expected to increase the company’s bulk juice concentrate processing capacity. 

Jochen Bitzel, a member of the company’s Board of Directors, said, “We are excited about the potential this expansion brings. It significantly increases our production capacity. This strong boost in capability enables us to better serve our customers across Africa and solidify our position as industry leaders.” 

According to Döhler, the facility’s R&D labs will help foster product development and improvement, which would allow the tailoring of ingredients according to market preferences and trends. 

The expansion is also expected to allow customers direct access to the ingredient company’s complete portfolio in South Africa, improving market accessibility. 

The announcement is part of Döhler’s two-cannon growth and expansion strategy. The first important cannon is product development through the expansion of production and product development capabilities, which Döhler hopes will result in the delivery of high-quality product solutions to the African market and beyond.  

Akram Sabbah, Döhler’s General Manager for Southern & Eastern Africa, said, “The Paarl plant has been an integral part of Döhler’s success in Africa. This expansion reflects our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our customers, and it positions us for even greater accomplishments in the future. 

Strategic partnerships are the second cannon of the company’s innovation-driven growth and expansion strategy.  

The expansion was announced a few months after Döhler entered a strategic R&D partnership with Vertosa, an infusion company for hemp and cannabis products. This partnership is expected to induce a new wave of innovation in the ingredients market.  

In early 2023, the ingredients company entered another strategic R&D partnership with Ixora Scientific to improve taste modulation and broaden its ingredient offering.  

The company hopes to improve its position in the South African market and gain significant market share in Africa’s food, beverage, and nutrition industry through this strategy. 

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