With the return of Australia’s largest food manufacturing industry event foodpro after a six-year hiatus, Food & Drink Business profiles foodpro’s advisory committee exhibitors about their business and the expo.
This week we speak to IMCD Australia, leading distributor, formulator and solutions provider in speciality chemicals and ingredients in Australia.
Showcasing new prototypes in ingredients at foodpro
As a leading distributor, formulator and solutions provider of speciality food ingredients and flavours for the world’s leading manufacturers and formulators, IMCD Australia is committed to solving formulation challenges and creating healthy, convenient and sustainable consumer trend-led solutions that exceed all expectations. The business is a leading participant in the functional ingredients space, with key product lines including texturants, fibres (nutritional and functional), proteins (vegetable and animal), natural flavours, colours, enzymes, and other processing aids.
Pasquale Piscopo, IMCD’s APAC Texture and Nutrition Category Director, reveals that this year at foodpro, IMCD will showcase a range of prototypes to meet current consumer trends.
“Expect to see solutions for trending formulations involving egg replacement, sugar reduction, indulgence, flavour nostalgia, and sustainability,” he said. “Our technical experts have crafted new and exciting concepts to show what is possible, inspiring our industry partners to discover what’s next.”
Important trends driving demand
As an industry leader, Piscopo said IMCD is always at the forefront of upcoming trends to best assist their industry partners in maintaining market share and consumer interest.
“Our industry knowledge and expertise are the cornerstones of our business, shaping how we engage with and support our customers. IMCD creates an annual Trends Report to assist our partners because what’s trending informs and directs innovation, showing potential business opportunities. We focus on the megatrends within the industry, explaining how at IMCD, we support food innovators with our wide portfolio of ingredients and technical expertise.”
Within the current high inflation environment, Piscopo said consumers are spending more cautiously, resulting in our customers also wanting to reduce costs.
“The main growth opportunities we see are customers looking for healthier and more ‘good-for-you’ products at an affordable price. So, we have employed our latest technical expertise and product solutions to meet these challenges. For example, we recently created egg replacement solutions that reduce overall production costs by removing the need for real eggs.”
A long history spanning more than 100 years
IMCD has a long-established presence in Australia. Its roots trace back to 1897, when Swift and Company Limited commenced business when Mr F. Glencross Swift formed a trading company. Similarly, Mr Robert Bryce established an importing business in Australia in 1902. Robert Bryce and Company Limited went public in 1951, and then in 1969, established links with Internatio Muller NV, which acquired 100 per cent ownership in 1986.
Swift joined the Internatio Muller Australia/New Zealand group of companies in 1996, complementing the existing Chemical distribution business of Robert Bryce and Company Limited. Robert Bryce and Internatio Muller Chemicals combined forces with Swift in 1999, to further strengthen industry connections, trading as Swift and Company Limited. In 2007 to represent the IMCD Group globally, all sister companies were rebranded under the name IMCD, locally becoming IMCD Australia Limited.
The importance of demonstrating expertise
Piscopo said the company's main goal is to continue showcasing IMCD as the leading player within the specialised food ingredients sector, which is why showcasing on the foodpro floor is so important.
“We support the local food industry and want to continue demonstrating our expertise. Showing how we can work with our partners to meet consumer and market trends innovatively and effectively is vital to our business and future growth.”
