Tetra Pak partners with Synercore to accelerate food chain innovation in Africa

Multinational food packaging and processing company Tetra Pak has established a collaborative partnership with Synercore Food Holdings, a South African food research, application and ingredient company.

During the journey from farm to factory to fork, the food supply chain can encounter any number of health hazards. Tetra Pak’s partnership with Synercore has the objective of leveraging its technology and food solutions to accelerate innovation in health and safety regarding the commercialisation of shelf-stable food products in Africa.

According to Tetra Pak, the challenge of food safety and security in Africa is no minor one considering that 50% of the world’s population growth within the next 30 years is predicted to come from Africa.

Producing shelf-stable pilot-scale samples

The partnership involves the procurement by Synercore of a pilot-scale Tetra ReCart testing facility plant for dairy innovation situated at the Synercore Innovation Campus at Klapmuts in the Western Cape.

Stefan Fageräng, Tetra Pak managing director, says: “The pilot unit affords Synercore the opportunity to test on a pilot scale various formulations, recipes, raw materials and functional ingredients with the expert assistance of teams from both companies.”

The investment includes a Tetra Pak High Shear Mixer unit, a Tetra ReCart packaging line and retort to produce shelf-stable pilot-scale samples that exactly mimic industrialised and commercial products, in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Analytical tests will be conducted to ensure the integrity of macro- and micro-nutrients as well as the microbial quality and safety of the products being produced.

The partnership is a positive move towards a more integrated approach to delivering good quality products in Africa, than either Tetra Pak or Synercore could deliver alone. This embraces the need to include in the product cross-disciplinary development process factors such as functional ingredients, processing and packaging solutions, says Tetra Pak.

Integrating value chain to deliver end-to-end solutions

“Our new partnership with Synercore has the objective of integrating and managing the entire value chain and to deliver an end-to-end solution to the African market. Synercore assists with product formulations, new product development and functional ingredients, which complements Tetra Pak’s specialisation in processing, packaging, automation, and technical services. Together, we will help customers to produce safer, quality products with more efficiency and reliability,” says Fageräng.

“Success can only be achieved through intelligent, competent, multidisciplinary and integrated partnerships,” he adds.

Dr Tertius Cilliers, CEO Synercore, adds: “We face unique challenges on this continent, but then again, as we live in a global village we can learn from the experience, talents, and competence from leading organisations around the world. The latest investment by Synercore and Tetra Pak in a collaborative partnership, illustrates exactly that – bringing technology to Africa to complement its rich natural resources while presenting tangible and local solutions.

“We strive to effectively translate research and new product ideas into reality through effective research and development, communication, technical expertise and technical support.”