Want to diversify your portfolio?
Try a flexible approach.
The range of plant-based beverages on offer to consumers is constantly growing, with new recipes, ingredients and flavours being introduced to shelves all the time. So what happens if you’re a plant-based beverage producer that has a line designed for one ingredient, like soya, but you feel the time is right to diversify your offering? With our consistent approach to technology that’s designed to be flexible, it might be easier than you think.
Ride the plant-based wave
In recent years, there has been a plant-based boom in the supermarkets. With an ever-expanding range of plant-based foods and beverages, consumers are more willing to try new things, which means the potential for successful, innovative new products is significant. The important thing is to implement solutions that easily allow you to experiment, and for plant-based beverages, Tetra Pak has the ideal equipment for whatever ingredients you choose to use.
Utilise more ingredients with flexible technology
Many dairy producers have extended their portfolio with a plant-based offering, and it is possible to convert an existing line to be able to handle that kind of expansion. But it’s also important to know that with Tetra Pak technology as a base, you’re not restricted to one plant-based ingredient – it’s possible to produce a wider range of beverages from a wider range of sources on a single manufacturing line with, potentially, just a few tweaks. This is made possible thanks to our deep understanding of the underlying technology for plant-based beverages, as we apply that know-how to design more modular and adaptable solutions.
From soya to oat, easily
Soya beverage producers with a Tetra Pak line, for example, can start producing oat-based beverages easily. We make this conversion straightforward by adapting the underlying technology for the two products and making our system more modular. So if you want to start producing oat-based beverages, you may need to add hydrolysation tanks, but everything else such as the grinding units, separation equipment, a deactivation unit, a steriliser, and heat treatment, buffering and blending technology will already be in place.
Ensure the heat exchanger’s compatibility
Heat treatment processes should also be checked, mainly to ensure that the heat exchanger’s parameters are compatible with both beverages, but our expertise on thermal calculation and heat exchanger design makes this process simple for producers. There may be other upgrades required, but the potential benefits in terms of additional flexibility could outweigh the investments involved.
Optimise production time scheduling
Another area that would need to be considered will be the production time schedules. Experts from Tetra Pak can help with everything from equipment modification to optimising production time scheduling (PTS) and total cost of ownership (TCO). This enables you to fully understand the optimal operation of the process line and effectively anticipate production costs.
Positive for consumers, retailers, and your bottom line
By doing this, and potentially expanding your product range, you can not only attract more consumers, but it will also be positive in terms of your relationship with retailers, as you have more to offer, and you can get even more out of your initial investments in equipment.
Explore the potential of spent grain
With plant-based beverages, the next exciting innovation is only ever just around the corner, and all signs are pointing towards spent grain making a splash. This ingredient, although challenging to work with in terms of raw material stability, can be an excellent addition to form the basis of exciting, new plant-based beverages.
A simple switch from oat
Even better, it’s simple to switch from oat-based beverages and concentrates to working with spent grain – the main additional requirement could, at most, be to add more tanks to allow for additional production. Other changes would depend on the starting point for your oat beverages. For an oat line starting with oat grain, for example, a grinding unit would already be in place, but for an oat flour line, this is something that would need to be added to be able to produce spent grain beverages or concentrate.
With this relatively simple upgrade, you’re opening up a world of opportunities, and expanding the potential of your existing line. But why is flexibility so important?
Utilise your whole capacity with a flexible solution
With the plant-based category growing, and with consumers more willing to try new products, it’s an ideal time to explore ways to expand your plant-based beverage offering. This doesn’t need to be a big investment either – if your soya beverage line is currently running at 70%, for example, we could help you create the flexibility to also produce oat beverages, utilising the remaining capacity. That helps sweat the existing assets, but also allows you to test the market with a new proposition and add to your top and bottom line.
Capture a bigger share of your potential audience
This added flexibility can potentially boost your bottom line and grow your return on investment for your existing Tetra Pak equipment, and it can also help your brand to grow as you have more presence in stores and, ultimately, in the hands of consumers.
Together, we can seize the opportunities
Production flexibility is more than just a benefit, it’s something that can make a real, positive impact on your business. With our technology and expertise, we can help you achieve this flexibility in a simple, straightforward and efficient way, while offering guidance in finding your next successful innovation in plant-based beverages. Get in touch to explore the full potential of your plant.
