Ingredients supplier prepares for NPD push
Ingredients firm Jardox has recruited innovations talent from Premier Foods to spearhead a new product development (NPD) push after opening a £3M new plant.
The facility, operating in Sevenoaks, Kent, is based on the same trading estate as two other factories run by the company, which supplies ready meal manufacturers including Greencore and Hain Daniels Group.
FoodManufacture.co.uk revealed plans for the plant in September last year .
Jardox makes wet and dry stock, pastes and seasonings for foods such as barbecue products and ethnic dishes. Md Alex Gardener told FoodManufacture.co.uk the new factory would enable the company to expand current production in readiness for business growth with existing customers.
“We have taken on a new innovations manager who is ex-Premier and we are looking to develop the team.”
The recruit in question is Brendan Raynor, who was a new product development manager at Premier Foods.
Further product lines
Gardener said he expected to announce more details about further product lines within the next six months. FoodManufacture.co.uk has already revealed Jardox’s work on expanding into ready-to-eat foods and sandwich fillings.
He mentioned few details, but admitted that products with all-British provenance were proving popular in the wake of the horsemeat controversy.
He added that the business had plans for more investment to come. “We plan to continue growth. We’re going to do that … by growing our skills base, investing in people, plant and equipment.”
Well-equipped kitchens
The new factory incorporates well-equipped development and presentation kitchens to aid the development of new product concepts. In addition, on-site presentation and conference rooms are included to allow customers and Jardox development chefs and technologists to collaborate on NPD.
There are also disaster recovery facilities, warehouse space and offices.
The creation of the factory had not resulted immediately in any new jobs, a spokeswoman for the company said, as existing staff would be deployed across the three sites as needed. However, the firm anticipates growth in personnel as it expands.
“We are delighted with the new site, which has now given us the capacity to expand to fit our development needs,” said Gardener in a statement. “We feel we are in a strong position to offer an even more streamlined operation that will fit the demands of this competitive market.”
Jardox works with supermarket and foodservice customers in addition to food processors.
