Groundwork for Muntons’ new evaporators. Photo: Andy Janes
Stowmarket-based maltster, Muntons, has announced a £4.5m investment in its local plant to increase its malt extract capacity.
A new 27-metre-high building is being constructed on its Stowmarket site to house the new multi-stage evaporator, which will demand involvement from both local design, mechanical, and electrical construction firms, along with companies from across Europe.
The addition of a new, and more rapid and more energy efficient evaporator will help to boost production by around 15% by removing production bottlenecks. Their existing evaporator will be available to process specialist malt extracts, such as ultra-dark malt extracts and enzyme rich diastatic extracts.
Nigel Davies, Muntons’ technical and sustainability director, said: “It seems that people like malt. Demand for malted ingredients is at an all-time high — good news for us, but also bringing its problems, as every tonne of malt extract made is sold as fast as it is produced.
“The steady drift towards natural products, away from fats and sugar, as people embrace a healthier lifestyle, coupled with health awareness and obesity, has been brought into sharp focus through a succession of high-profile media exposés.
“This has triggered the introduction of traffic lights on packaging, targeted reductions in sugar and fat, and has also steered manufacturers towards ‘better-for-you’ products generally, as consumers seek healthier alternatives.”
