Page 5 - Food&Drink magazine April 2022

Frucor Suntory commits to $400m build
A new
Plantform for
innovators
A new accelerator for plant-based businesses, PlantForm, will help companies accelerate products to market, scale, and increase product development, co-founder and food tech investment adviser Allen Zelden (below) said.
“While adoption of plant-based food is at a tipping point globally with capital flowing into the sector, a major use of these funds is tied up in building new manufacturing capabilities and R&D.
“PlantForm will act as a conduit to help drive radical system change through food tech innovation, agile manufacturing and growth infrastructure to bring more ethical and sustainable food choices to market,” Zelden said.
The accelerator will provide co-investment opportunities, R&D, and connection to the food tech production ecosystem.
Zelden has brought more than 1000 plant-based SKUs to market and sees this as a crucial time to
remove barriers to market entry and accelerate opportunities to scale.
The first round of partnership and manufacturing applications opens this month.
DRINKS manufacturer Frucor Suntory will build a $400 million beverage production facility in Ipswich, Queensland to establish a production footprint in Australia, relieve pressure on its New Zealand operations, and fuel growth.
CEO Darren Fullerton told Food & Drink Business the investment would deliver greater capacity, flexibility and opportunities for the company’s brands and its people. For Fullerton, the build also reflects renewed ambition.
“When I joined, there was an overarching theme that the company was a great business and had huge potential, but it hadn’t transformed enough for that potential to be realised,” he said.
Fullerton joined the company almost two years ago, after 18 years with PepsiCo ANZ working in its beverage and snacks divisions.
Frucor was established about 60 years ago in New Zealand, with Suntory acquiring the company 10 years ago. The company’s major brands include V and Boss Iced Coffee.
“In New Zealand we are a strong number two player across multiple channels, the focus in Australia has been a lot narrower until now. The Ipswich facility reflects the huge potential we see in becoming a much broader, multi beverage player as we grow our Australian footprint,” Fullerton said.
The company was also faced with the time sensitive reality that it was reaching capacity in its New Zealand operations. “Releasing the
pressure on operations in New Zealand will also unleash potential,” he said.
Suntory Beverage & Food APAC CEO Taka Sanno said, “We see outstanding growth opportunities and world class talent across the Oceania region and this facility plays a critical role in realising our plans.
“In line with our Suntory ‘Growing for Good’ vision, we want the new facility to set a benchmark for our investment into sustainable technologies to drive efficiency and minimise our carbon footprint.”
The multi-beverage facility will be on a 17-hectare, greenfield site in the New-Gen Business Park in Ipswich, and will include beverage processing, packaging, warehousing, and distribution. It will be able to product up to 20 million cases of drinks a year when it opens in mid 2024, with the site also designed for significant scaling in the future.
•
•
• •
www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | April 2022 | Food&Drink business | 5
NEWS