The basics:

• Puratos will acquire Vör Foods — producer of clean-label nut butters & fillings
• Deal expands Puratos’ US manufacturing footprint, technical capabilities
• Vör operates SQF-certified nut facility in Pennsylvania

South Jersey-based bakery ingredients manufacturer Puratos is acquiring Vör Foods. The Pennsylvania-headquartered target is a high-growth producer of ultra clean-label nut butters and nut-based fillings.

Besides expanding its U.S. manufacturing footprint, Puratos said the move will enable it to respond more quickly to emerging consumer trends by using locally produced ingredients.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed in a Jan. 21 press release.

Vör’s portfolio spans pistachio, hazelnut, almond, cashew, and blended nut butters and fillings. The producer serves both ingredient buyers and CPG brands with formulations engineers for function, flavor and scale. At its existing Safe Quality Food-certified, dedicated nut manufacturing facility in Trevose, Vör supports rapid R&D, pilot-to-scale transitions and high-volume production, according to the press release.

Since it is located just 35 minutes from Puratos’ U.S. headquarters, the companies said the site will “support closer technical collaboration and the exchange of best practices between the teams.”

As part of the integration, Puratos will invest in Vör’s equipment and capacity to support continued expansion and meet rising consumer demand for clean-label nut solutions.

That’s nuts

Vör CEO Frank Steck shared, “Since founding Vör Foods in 2016, we’ve focused on quality, agility, and close customer and supplier collaboration. Joining Puratos opens an exciting new chapter. Together, we can bring even greater value to our customers by combining Vör’s nut expertise with Puratos’ scale, capabilities, and industry network.”

Commenting on the deal, Puratos North America President Andy Brimacombe shared, “The Vör team brings craftsmanship, agility, and impressive speed. They’ve grown remarkably fast by staying close to customers and delivering on-trend nut solutions. Their expertise and U.S nut facility make them a strong strategic fit for Puratos, and enhance our ability to support customers with reliable, high-quality ingredients.”

“We’re excited to welcome them to the team as we continue driving sweet goods innovation together,” he added.

Food innovation

Sweet trends

Mini desserts and tangy flavors are some of the latest consumer preferences when it comes to bakery goods and chocolate, Puratos found. See more from its Taste Tomorrow outlook here.

Founded in 1919, Puratos provides innovative ingredients to the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors. It primarily serves large industrial bakers and retailers, along with foodservice chains, distributors and artisan customers.

Puratos opened its first U.S. subsidiary in Boston in 1979 and began production in Pennsauken about four years later. After moving to Cherry Hill, the company returned to Pennsauken in 2018 to establish a new U.S. base and innovation center as part of a bid to expand its presence here. Puratos also has a distribution center and industry leading manufacturing plant alongside that campus.

Over the past year, the company unveiled an industrial pilot bakery at its headquarters to support rapid prototyping and product development for commercial bakers.

It also just launched the first plant in the country dedicated entirely to making bakery glaze.