Solvay boosts European natural vanillin capacity, introduces new products and upgrades research and innovation platform

Solvay is increasing its manufacturing capacity for European natural vanillin by 60 metric tons thereby furthering its commitment to meet long term growth expectations associated with natural food and beverage ingredients. Effective January 2018, and produced in Europe with full traceability from raw material to finished product, this additional capacity is designated to serve Solvay’s global customer base for its natural and clean label universal requirements in food.

At the same time, Solvay launches a newly designed Rhovanil® Natural CW product (crystal white) and adds two new grades of Vanifolia™ to its natural solutions portfolio.

“As a leading player in vanillin products, we are now strengthening our ‘Natural’ production base and product offering to continue to support the market success and growth of our customers. This significant expansion of our European capacity for natural vanillin improves our vertical integration to support the growing demand for natural solutions on which we have built the reputation of our products,”says Peter Browning, President of Solvay’s Aroma Performance Global Business Unit (GBU).

Solvay’s innovative Rhovanil® Natural CW will reinforce Solvay’s market position as the reference for natural vanillin. Derived using a proprietary process from non-GMO rice, it is an enabler of a range of new Vanifolia™ solutions designed to address specific market needs. One of the newly developed grade meets the growing demand of one-on-one natural vanillin substitutes for synthetic vanillin across all Food segments. Furthermore, a natural solution offering effective masking properties of whey and pea protein aftertastes is also launched. This functional requirement has also become instrumental in growing nutrition, health and wellness mainstream applications.

Last but not least, Solvay’s Vanil’ Expert Center Innovation Platform in Lyon, France has been recently relocated into an upgraded, highly-equipped facility. It includes a brand-new Pilot Plant capable of simulating production on a semi-industrial scale, which will boost the team’s capabilities to develop solutions to optimize recipes and formulations for Solvay’s customers to help tackle and meet today’s ever-changing food trends.

^{® Rhovanil is a registered trademark of Solvay. 
™ Vanifolia is a trademark of Solvay}

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Designing vanillin-based solutions since 1884, Solvay was the first to synthetize and produce the vanillin molecule on an industrial scale. Solvay is today the only producer mastering in a single site the whole manufacturing chain, from raw material and Guaiacol to its historic flagship brands Rhovanil® and Rhodiarome®. 
From its three production sites, - Saint-Fons (France), Baton Rouge (USA) and Zhenjiang (China) - Aroma Performance GBU develops and produces vanillin-based functional solutions for the bakery, confectionery, food and beverage industries. Driven by innovation,  Aroma Performance ensures the highest standards of purity, safety, eco-friendliness and security of supply to its customers. Its products offer exceptional properties for masking undesired off-notes and boosting the overall palate of final products to open new perspectives to others segments, such as high-protein, low-fat and low-sugar, as well as vitamin-rich nutrition.

Solvay is a multi-specialty chemical company, committed to developing chemistry that addresses key societal challenges. Solvay innovates and partners with customers in diverse global end markets. Its products and solutions are used in planes, cars, smart and medical devices, batteries, in mineral and oil extraction, among many other applications promoting sustainability. Its lightweighting materials enhance cleaner mobility, its formulations optimize the use of resources and its performance chemicals improve air and water quality. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with around 27,000 employees in 58 countries. Net sales were € 10.9 billion in 2016, with 90% from activities where Solvay ranks among the world’s top 3 leaders. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR) and in the United States its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a level-1 ADR program.