A natural colours and flavouring manufacturer near Bristol has bought a Polish food tech company for an undisclosed sum.
Plant-Ex Ingredients said the acquisition of Aromacolors - a business specialising in making liquid and powder flavourings and colourings - would strengthen its European footprint as well as leading to increased demand at its plant in the South West of England.
The company, which recently opened 33,000 sq ft facility in Avonmouth, added that the deal would result in the creation of new jobs in the region across production, R&D, logistics and technical support.
It also said it would improve turnaround times for customers, while "helping to mitigate post-Brexit trade complexities".
“This is a major step forward, not just for Plant-Ex but for the wider Bristol and South West economy,” said Giles Drewett, chief executive and founder of Plant-Ex.
"By integrating Aromacolors into the Plant-Ex Group, we’re adding depth to our technical capabilities and expanding our product offering.
"But just as importantly, we’re investing right here in the Ƶ through scaling up our operations and creating opportunities for local talent in an area that’s fast becoming a hub for food innovation and advanced manufacturing.”
Edward Budzulak, chief executive of Aromacolors, said the deal marked “an exciting new chapter" for Aromacolors.
"Becoming part of Plant-Ex opens up new opportunities to enhance our capabilities and bring even more value to our customers across Europe," he said.
"With a broader product offering and access to expanded resources, we are well positioned to support continued innovation and growth in the European market.”
Plant-Ex was founded in 2010 to develop, make and distribute natural food colours, extracts and flavours. It opened an expanded Bristol factory, with double the capacity of its previous site, in 2024.
Last September, the company announced plans to push into the US market after securing a £9m investment from BGF.
