France-based acacia gum manufacturer Alland & Robert plans to invest EUR 11 m early next year to install a fourth production line at its plant in Saint Aubin sur Gaillon/Normandy. The move will increase its production capacity by 45 %, bringing it from 20,000 t processed per year to 29,000 t. This increase in production capacity responds to a spike in global demand for acacia gum, which the company estimates to be approximately 60,000 t per year. Acacia gum is a natural, plant-based and health-haloed ingredient that can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as stabilization, texturizing or fibre enrichment. It can also be leveraged to formulate vegetarian and vegan products.

“This new investment comes on top of the EUR 3 m already invested in 2020 and 2021 to improve our existing production facilities,” says Frédéric Alland, President of Alland & Robert. The expansion of Alland & Robert’s plant is set to begin in 2021, covering an area of 8,000 m2, which will double the plant surface. The new facility is scheduled to open at the end of 2022. A new global production unit will be put in place to increase its acacia gum production capacity.