A blending and packaging business has invested more than £500,000 at its Staffordshire Moorlands factory after winning a huge new contract.
Ornua Ingredients Europe has secured a long-term supply partnership with nutritional supplements specialist Aymes International.
The new deal means that several million sachets of Aymes’ shake powder will now be produced at Ornua Ingredients Europe’s major processing facility in Leek.
It has also resulted in the installation of a new £500,000 state-of-the-art single sachet packaging line at the factory.
Ornua Ingredients Europe – which is headquartered in Nantwich – specialises in the blending and packing of dairy and food powder-based beverages.
Bosses say the new contract will help to expand the company’s capacity and capabilities, with the move into a small sachet format expected to open up further commercial opportunities.
Alastair Jackson, sales and marketing director at Ornua Ingredients Europe, said: "We are immensely proud to be partnering with Aymes International, who have established a reputation as being a leader in the supply of high quality and innovative nutritional supplements in the fast growing and dynamic ‘food for special medical purposes’ market.
"We believe that our complementary skills and experience will provide further opportunities to grow and develop the partnership and expect over time to introduce new products and range extensions."
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He added: "The partnership with Aymes International is in line with our strategy for our Leek nutritional ingredients facility which is focused on securing long-term supply relationships that provide not only a route to market for our dairy powders but also a route to added value markets with strong growth potential."
Aymes International is a leading provider of oral nutritional supplements to the NHS.
Its shake powders are recognised as playing a key role in tackling disease-related malnutrition in patients.
Initially available in strawberry and chocolate flavours, the first 57g powder sachets rolled-off the production line this month.
Sofia Raquel, head of contracts and supply at Aymes International, said: "Since our formation in 2013, our success has been based upon our pledge to produce nutritional supplements to the highest standards, which provide real value without compromising on quality, taste or service.
"We believe that our new partnership with Ornua Ingredients Europe will enable us to continue to deliver on this pledge and over time grow and develop the Aymes range still further."