Flavor manufacturer FlavorSum LLC has completed an expansion project at its Kalamazoo-area campus that will boost the company’s flavor processing capabilities.
The flavor producer, a portfolio company of New York City-based private equity firm The Riverside Company, recently opened its 35,000-square-foot expansion at 3680 Stadium Park Way in Oshtemo Charter Township near Kalamazoo.
The $10 million expansion, which was announced in March 2023, is meant to boost the company’s capabilities for flavor processing as well as adding warehouse capacity and more automated processes.
The expansion also includes an onsite pilot plant that adds processing capabilities such as ultra heat treatment (UHT) for liquids and high-temperature short-time (HTST) methods for pasteurization, both supporting the company’s dairy center.
“We remain focused on reducing the headaches associated with flavor sourcing and new product development,” FlavorSum President and CEO Brian Briggs said in a statement. “We continue to build our capabilities and resources as the go-to flavor solutions partner for small, mid-sized and emerging food and beverage companies.”
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FlavorSum was established in 2021 with the merging of Kalamazoo-based National Flavors; Ontario, Canada-based Bonnie & Don Flavours; and Kennesaw, Ga.-based GSB Flavor Creators. The three food flavoring, extracts and essential oils companies had been part of Riverside’s flavor platform since 2020.
The new FlavorSum entity has since performed flavor research, creation, production and distribution from the Kalamazoo and Mississauga plants.
The company’s flavor products are used in various applications, including alcoholic beverages, baked goods, non-alcoholic beverages, candy and dairy products.
The recent Kalamazoo-area expansion received state support in 2023 with a $500,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund.
A statement from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office at the time said FlavorSum chose Kalamazoo for the expansion over competing sites in the U.S. and Canada.
“We’re grateful for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s shared commitment to the expansion that will deliver economic growth benefits to Michigan and the Kalamazoo region,” Briggs said.
The build-out for the expansion was managed by Portage-based AVB Construction LLC. Oshtemo Township-based Schley Nelson Architects Inc. designed the project.
The company plans to host an official ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony this spring.
In addition to the Kalamazoo investment, FlavorSum also recently opened a 10,000-square-foot innovation center in Marlton, N.J. The facility includes an expanded flavor creation lab and space for team collaboration on food and beverage flavor solutions. The New Jersey innovation center also houses a beverage center with carbonation, canning, tunnel pasteurization, and hot filling capabilities.
“Our innovation centers offer customers the opportunity to partner on-site with our flavorists and applications experts and speed the product development cycle,” Dave Franz, CCO at FlavorSum, said in a statement.
“Our operational structure helps customers achieve their growth goals with resources like market insights, regulatory experts, and streamlined commercialization processes,” Franz said. “We prioritize continuous improvement to keep pace with their needs.”
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