In New Jersey, Lycored, a company commercializing pigments and health supplements based on lycopene, has invested millions to more than double production.
Lycopene is a carotenoid found in tomatoes and other red produce. The investment included a new production facility in Branchburg, New Jersey that will help support expansion into new markets globally.
“The expansion of our lycopene production follows a period of strategic equipment investments and improvements in tomato usage during key harvest periods,” Rony Patishi-Chilim, CEO at Lycored, tells FoodBev Media. “These changes ensure that we have the expertise and the capacity to meet the needs of our customers across the food, beverage and health ingredient industries looking for natural color, active health ingredients and taste-enhancing solutions.”
The investment will also help meet demand for lycopene as a colorant in vegan foods and functional beverages. “Demand for natural color ingredients is higher than ever and continues to grow as clean label, traceable, vertically integrated pigments that are plant-based grow in popularity, alongside the plant-based movement towards a more sustainable future,” Patishi-Chilim adds.