INGREDIENTS
powered by Inside Food & Drink
New Jersey’s J&K Ingredients Inc is a leading manufacturer of bakery ingredients for the baking industry throughout the world, with a history stretching back to 1899. President James Sausville discussed the extensive product range and the latest projects at J&K Ingredients, in conversation with Phil Nicholls.
The Clean Label mould inhibitor from J&K Ingredients Inc, known as SORMate, is the perfect answer to keeping bakery goods mould-free. The addition of SOR-Mate maintains product quality without the need for chemical or artifi cial preservatives.
“SOR-Mate is our newest product,” explained President James Sausville, “and our fastest-growing product. SOR-Mate is popular in the baking industry and J&K Ingredients is now offering it into beverage and other sectors.”
J&K Ingredients can trace its history back to 1899 with a grocery store opened by the great grandfather of the current President. The original Sausville Foods transformed into J&K Ingredients in 1990, adopting a new focus on bakery ingredients for business customers. Yet the current incarnation of the business maintains the traditions of quality and customer service that were the foundation of the original grocery store.
Today, J&K Ingredients has three factories in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. The company has 130 employees and enjoys an impressive run of 32 years of annual growth.
“We’re continuing to grow as we expand our product line,” Mr Sausville said. “We have about 400 products in our list, but average about 200 products a month
that we manufacture. J&K Ingredients spe cialises in natural alternatives to chemicals.
“We’re the number one producer for the baking industry of natural mould inhibitor for bread. This is a fermented product where we inoculate wheat flour with propioni bacterium and we grow propionic acid in a fermentation tank that’s used mostly for bread products.”
Ingredient portfolio
J&K Ingredients has an extensive product portfolio of quality baking ingredients. The SOR-Mate inhibits mould growth while maintaining the quality of the fin ished bakery products. It is non-GMO, certified Kosher Pareve and is available in a gluten-free version.
Additional items in the J&K Ingredients range include milk and egg replacers, along with release agents and emulsi fiers. Specialist products can enhance flavours, stabilise icing glazes and pro vide freezer-resistant chocolate dip coatings. Products from J&K Ingredients also include sour flavours, bases for tortillas and flatbreads, along with “10” Potato made using potato flour.
With such an expansive product portfolio, picking a single item to demonstrate the essence of J&K Ingredients is not a simple
NATIONAL CORTINA
For National Cortina it has been a great pleasure working with J&K Ingredients and assisting them with importing and sourcing of key ingredients in their new Sor-Mate product line. Focusing on HighQuality Ingredients and Providing Great Service are two principles of the many that we share while working with our customers.
We provide transparency when it comes to our vendors. Our cus tomers are assured they are buying from a vetted source, best-in-class supplier. There are no questions about our quality when it comes to food safety and meeting specifications. Offering peace of mind is our top value.
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task. However, Mr Sausville highlighted the Clean Label products which includes the Verdi Line. The 20 products in the Verdi Line are all certified Kosher Pareve and suitable for a wide variety of options for all types of baking applications.
“Our Clean Label natural line is led by our best-selling item,” continued Mr Sausville, “which is called Bred-Mate. This is our number one product, which we sell all over the world.”
The Bred-Mate product line consists of Clean Label mould inhibitors derived from a natural fermentation process for use in the production of all types of baking goods. Bred Mate does not compromise the texture or taste of the final bread product and is offered in a variety of options to cater to the specific recipe needs of the customer.
Value and quality
Alongside this impressive collection of ingredients, Mr Sausville was very clear about the ongoing appeal of J&K Ingredients
for customers: “We have the most costeffective product on the market.”
Value and quality are important features driving the growing J&K Ingredients range. This growth is pioneered by the research and development laboratory at one of its fac tories. The reputation of J&K Ingredients is so strong that customers approach the com pany to help them solve a problem or meet a product need. This input from customers, along with close observation of market trends, leads to the development of inno vative new products to expand the growing range from J&K Ingredients.
Thanks to its position in the market, J&K Ingredients has a clear understanding of the latest consumer tastes. It is evident that the public is moving away from artifi cial additives.
“We use a lot of natural products,” Mr Sausville said, “although nobody really uses the word ‘natural’ anymore. We prefer the term ‘Clean Label’ products, covering both organic and non-GMO products.
These are J&K Ingredients’ fastest growing products, so this is where we are focused right now.”
Another trend in the market is for sustainability. J&K Ingredients took the usual steps of switching to energy-efficient lighting in its facilities. The company’s production processes do not use large quantities of water or energy. However, the recent focus on natural products in its range ensures that J&K Ingredients plays a part in supporting a sustainable lifestyle among its consumers.
Growing challenges
The recent disruption to the global supply chain has had an impact on the company, according to Mr Sausville: “Currently our biggest challenge is the combination of the supply chain and inflation. In par ticular, the cost of trucking has become a challenge.”
The consequence of the current supply chain situation at J&K Ingredients has resulted in both delays receiving stock
and price rises due to transportation costs. Despite these current challenges, J&K Ingredients remains optimistic about the future of the business.
“Our plan is to move outside the baking industry,” explained Mr Sausville, “and into the beverage sector with our Clean Line products. Initially, our focus is on beverage, but we also plan to expand into other food sectors such as cheese and pro cessed meats, among others.”
These are exciting times for a company with such a long history. The portfolio at J&K Ingredients continues to grow steadily as the company follows the latest trends within the food and drink industry.
Mr Sausville has the delicate task of bal ancing the heritage of J&K Ingredients with the drive to meet new market tastes. This is all the motivation he needs when walking into his office every morning.
“I am excited by the close relationships that I have with my customers,” he con cluded, “and the challenge of continuing to grow the business.”
