Hydrosol has announced a new UHT pilot plant in Singapore to better serve local manufacturers.
Demand for meat and dairy products, as well as convenience products, is rising in Asia, alongside the region’s growth in population.
To address this growth more effectively, ingredients specialist Hydrosol is continuing to invest in its regional locations and maintains close collaborations with its local sales organisations.
The expansion of its technical infrastructure is an important part of this, with a new UHT pilot plant being installed in Singapore, which will complement the company's existing plant in China.
The new state-of-the-art plant will facilitate the development and improvement of formulations for dairy products.
For example, with UHT milk and flavoured milk drinks, the stability, texture and flavour need to be retained during an extended shelf life.
With vegetable fat creams, the focus is on optimising whippability, viscosity and heat stability.
For yoghurt and fermented milk products, the goals are better mouthfeel, creamy consistency and thermostable products.
As well as dairy products, Hydrosol is well-positioned to support the development of meat applications for ASEAN customers.
With meat and poultry products, the focus is on the ideal binding, juiciness and texture in processed foods such as meats, sausages, nuggets and ready meals.
In addition to its technical facilities, the company also wants to be a local sparring partner for its customers across the region.
Through close collaboration, Hydrosol helps manufacturers meet challenges in formulation and processing and ensures smooth transitions from pilot testing to large-scale production.
“Customer-specific consulting has long been a central building block in Hydrosol’s DNA,” emphasises Dr Dorotea Pein, Director Technology and Innovation.
“With our tailor-made solutions, we want to help manufacturers react quickly to regional market trends and consumer demands.”
New markets in focus
Another objective is to conquer new markets. In the Chinese market, for example, milk products are gaining traction, particularly in the B2B segment.
Due to oversupply in retail, leading Chinese dairies are increasingly focusing on food service with special product concepts.
They are expanding their product lines with solutions for restaurants as well as coffee and tea franchises.
Tea beverages are very popular and milk bases and coffee whitener/creamers are frequently used in bubble tea shops. Coffee shops are also popular.
Strategic partnerships of leading milk producers with chains such as Starbucks illustrate the potential.
According to market research, in 2025, the coffee sector is projected to generate added demand for milk products on the order of 26.5bn renminbi, or just under 3.65bn USD.
Demand for thick milk and milk bases for new tea drinks is forecast to rise by more than 20% annually.
Health-oriented innovations for milk drinks are another growth market.
For example, sugar-free options are in demand.
According to Nielsen IQ, last year, milk drinks were the only category in the Chinese milk market to show growth.
With its stabilising systems in the Stabiprime series, Hydrosol offers customers the ability to produce a wide range of milk drinks that can be enriched with micronutrients or proteins to offer consumers the added health value they are looking for.
The tailor-made solutions are likewise aligned with users’ requirements.
Dr Pein notes: “Working together with manufacturers, we develop product concepts that are a precise fit, as well as process optimisation methods where necessary, for milk products and any other applications.”