We are very pleased to introduce you to Sarah Westergreen, R&D process technologies manager with SPX FLOW, a valuable new partner of the Global Plant-Based Foods & Protein Ecosystem. We asked Sarah a few questions about her partnership with the EcoSystem and SPX FLOW’s role in the protein transition.
Can you give a short description of your organisation?
SPX FLOW is a leading provider of process solutions for the nutrition, health and industrial markets. With trusted brands such as APV for our UHT technology and ANHYDRO for our drying technology, we help customers make products that meet the growing demand for enhanced nutritional and plant-based products. We partner with customers to extend the shelf life of dairy and plant-based foods without losing nutritional value, flavor or appearance. From ketchup and yogurt to your favorite detergent and hand sanitizer, our pumps are the foundation of a processing system, ensuring the highest quality of product from creation to consumer. We also make mixers, valves, separators, homogenizers and heat exchangers to help produce customized solutions safely, sustainably and consistently.
How can the ecosystem help you?
Joining the Bridge2Food EcoSystem allows us to gain a deeper insight into what our customers need and how we can support them. We pride ourselves on partnering with customers to find innovative and sustainable solutions. We’ve steadily increased our research and development budget, which helped us create twice as many new products in 2020 than in 2019, and the Global Plant-Based Foods & Protein Ecosystem is a key piece of what we will do moving forward. We want to create meaningful collaborations from the time we test recipes for plant-based products to the time they are scaled up and enter the market. Bridge2Food creates an important platform for partners to network, co-create, innovate and develop sustainable solutions.
What is the main challenge for the world in relation to the protein transition?
The main challenge is that consumers expect a functional, nutritional, sustainable and appealing plant-based food, but companies must navigate the complexities of protein availability and the diversity of proteins that are available. A one-size-fits-all approach to processing will not work. We’re focused on “Solutions in the Making” and we’re excited about how we will help make more solutions by working with Bridge2Food.
What kind of role in the transition would your organization like to fulfill?
SPX FLOW is a pioneer in providing sustainable solutions for the nutrition and health industries. We have more than 100 years of experience in process technology, and our expertise in both wet and dry applications makes us a great fit to support the protein transition. Our role in the EcoSystem is to co-create when it comes to innovating sustainable processing solutions, and to collaborate when developing, testing and perfecting a new process. Afterward, we help manufacturing plants commercialize their new, plant-based process solutions.
About the EcoSystem
About 300 industry leaders from 110 organisations have partnered since 2019 in the Global Plant-Based Foods EcoSystem to accelerate the transition towards a more plant-based diet, with better foods, produced in a sustainable way, as well as increase food security with an abundant supply of proteins for food, feed and pet food markets.
Innovation, research & development leaders from food brands, ingredient & processing companies, institutes, universities, grower associations and breeders collaborate on such a future with concrete actions, deliverables and outcomes. To be involved in the ecosystem and to join our meetings, you can register here. To get all details on the ecosystem, you can check out this page.
