ADM has announced its investment in the company's Erlanger campus, with a focus on innovation, growth and addressing the significant demand for reformulation in the evolving food and beverage landscape.
ADM insights indicate more than 80% of US consumers favour reformulation, with 52% stating it is a must for brands and 63% preferring that brands reformulate existing products to align with better-for-you positioning.
This $26m investment in Erlanger — the company's flagship flavours facility in the United States — will help customers meet these consumer expectations by increasing the capacity, delivery, supply and consistency of ADM's naturally derived colour and flavour solutions.
The investment will include a 3600sqft expansion of an existing facility on the Erlanger campus, representing a 40% increase in capabilities to create efficiencies in raw material handling.
The site will also see multiple digitalisation, automated technology and integrated process upgrades, propelling innovation.
This builds upon a substantial $15m investment at the site in 2025, resulting in a 7200sqft expansion of the world-class Customer Creation and Innovation Centre, where ADM co-creates solutions for taste, flavour and colour across food and beverage categories with its customers.
Both investments will play significant roles in meeting critical reformulation needs.
"Our dedication to scaling our innovative solutions for customers, both in the US and globally, coincides with shifting consumer preferences and changing regulatory guidelines, impacting all facets of food and beverage product development," said Ian Pinner, president of ADM’s Nutrition business.
"These enhanced capabilities at our Erlanger facility support our customers in navigating regulatory compliance and achieving consumer acceptance through reformulating for sensory and nutritional optimisation."
"We welcome ADM's new investments in Northern Kentucky," said BE NKY Growth Partnership CEO Lee Crume.
“The Cincinnati region has a strong legacy of leadership in the food and flavouring industry and ADM is building on that tradition with investments in an expanded facility and technology innovations to meet evolving consumer demands."
Rooted in proprietary consumer research, market analysis and deep regulatory understanding, ADM has identified five key pillars driving product reformulation, including the following:
- Cleaner label: removing and replacing artificial ingredients, including petroleum-based dyes and certain sweeteners, with ingredients and colours derived from natural sources
- Lower sugar: providing options for consumers focused on sugar and calorie reduction, while also maintaining mouthfeel and structural properties through quality sweeteners and flavour modulation solutions
- Added protein: providing nutrient-dense options through diverse protein content from plant proteins, beans, pulses, ancient grains and seeds without compromising the sensory experience
- Lower sodium: adapting to proposed levels of sodium content, while retaining consumer-preferred tastes by leveraging savoury flavours and flavour modulation tools
- Optimised fat: addressing demand for different types of fats or oils in consumers’ favourite products through optimised fat and oil systems that also support indulgent sensory attributes.
"Investing in our capabilities, solutions and technologies helps simplify reformulation for our customers," said Pinner.
"Backed by decades of expertise and our comprehensive ingredients library, we can tackle any combination of the five crucial reformulation drivers."