The blending and warehouse site forms part of Ulrick & Short’s (U+S) long-term growth strategy as it looks to strengthen its manufacturing and blending capabilities, enhance production agility, and support the development and scale-up of ingredient innovation.
Based at Leeds Valley Park in Stourton, the two-storey facility is the clean label ingredients specialist’s third owned site and will be used for allergen-free blending of its functional ingredient solutions. For bakery applications, this includes its ingredients for egg replacement, batter viscosity and texture improvement, and solutions designed for gluten free formulations.
The business has been focusing on sugar replacements and fibre as of late, with its recently launched ‘avanté 25′ innovation. Based on soluble corn fibre alongside wheat starch and protein, this solution can replace up to 30% of sugar in products such as muffins, cakes and brownies; whilst maintaining the structural functionality sugar provides and contributing fibre.
Beyond its continued work in fibre, U+S is also focusing on adding further egg-replacement solutions in response to ongoing volatility in egg supply, alongside exploring extensions to its plant-based glazing range.
The solutions produced at the site are intended to support a wide range of bakery manufacturers making products such as muffins, sponge cakes, traybakes, brownies and biscuits, alongside savoury bakery items including breads, bagels, crackers and other baked goods.
Since establishing the site, U+S has made three additional hires specifically for warehouse and production operations, including a factory manager and production operatives. And as the facility continues to scale, it will be recruiting additional production operatives to support operations.
“The opening of Leeds Valley Park represents an important step in the next chapter of U+S,” said Adrian Short, CEO and co-founder.
“This investment strengthens our blending capability and enhances the resilience of our supply chain, enabling greater flexibility and capacity to support future innovation.
“The site reflects the way we work as a business – agile, collaborative and focused on building strong partnerships. Reaching this milestone as we marked 25 years of U+S makes it particularly meaningful, recognising both our progress to date and the opportunities ahead.”
The facility follows investment from Novax AB in 2021 which saw the business become a major shareholder in U+S and the subsequent formation of The Ingå Group. This group brings together a number of businesses under one roof: U+S, Louis François, MSK Ingredients, and JM Posner, with the Leeds Valley Park facility designed to act as a central hub.
