Cosucra, a Belgium-based food ingredients company, is set to establish a second pea protein refining line at its Warcoing production site, with an investment of €30m.
Approved by the company's board, the investment project is scheduled for start up in October this year.
The expansion, which also includes the construction of a second Cosucra drying tower as well as an additional packaging line, will allow the company to expand production capacity of its Pisane product, a pea protein isolate.
It is expected to be operational at the beginning of 2015.
Cosucra commercial director Michel Dewael said the plant protein market is constantly growing, with an estimated volume of 1.6 million tonnes produced in 2011.
"The growing interest in this type of protein is related to an increased awareness among consumers about healthier food prepared with ingredients that come from local and sustainable farming," Dewael added.
Cosucra is a manufacturer of nutritional ingredients derived from chicory and peas. Its products include Fibruline, Pisane and Swelite, which are used by more than 400 manufacturers and are included in over 1,500 food products worldwide.
