An Australian-based food innovation company is expanding with a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mexico, which will launch early next year.
Naturo Technologies launched its ‘All Natural’ avocado range called Natavo™ Avocado four years ago. Director Ross Harris says that the Mexican facility is a game changer as it provides access to the North American market. Avocado consumption is very high in the US and continually growing.
"The United States is the largest importer of avocados in the world, and we haven't had access to that market previously," Mr Harris said. "Previously we had been focusing on Asia, Europe and Australasia but this now gives us the ability to supply one of the biggest global markets of avocado and to take Natavo Avocado to the rest of the world."
Naturo Technologies have developed a process that effectively switches off the enzyme that causes avocados to go brown, using their patented equipment. Natavo™ Avocado is 100% natural with nothing added. Currently, the company have a manufacturing partner in South Africa who has been producing Natavo Natural Avocado for the last four years. We are supplying 10 countries around the world from this South African facility. Mr Harris says our partner in South Africa is continuously reinvesting in their facilities and equipment and will continue to scale with us also.
"We are aiming to commission the new Mexican facility and start production around March 2023," he said. "The combination of both facilities provides us with the ability to scale substantially. The Mexican facility will be state-of-the-art, and purpose-built. There will be additional automation across both facilities that will further enhance operating efficiencies."
The new Mexican facility will be built in Jalisco, a region that lies on the West Coast of Mexico. "Our manufacturing partners are a second-generation grower and packer, and they process around 36,000 metric tonnes of avocados annually, so we are grateful to be working closely with them," Mr Harris said. "They are the largest grower and packer of fresh avocado in the province, and they are building this facility and teaming up with Naturo Technologies to become a vertically integrated processor.
Natavo™ Natural Avocado is a real game changer for salad, sandwich or sushi manufacturers. Salad manufacturers have built entire ranges of retail salad bowls around the product, as Natavo Avocado enables these processors to include avocado in their product ranges, where they never have been able to before because these products need at least a five-day shelf life.
He added that demand has picked up for all products since the COVID-19 disruptions across all of its global markets.
"All of our customers that are utilising the product in retail applications have continued to grow," Mr Harris said. "The great part about coming out of COVID is that all of our customers that are utilising the product in foodservice applications are re-emerging and growing their businesses as most countries start to ease their COVID restrictions."
For more information
Ross Harris
Naturo Technologies
Phone: +61 7 5324 1417
[email protected]
www.naturotechnologies.com