4 Advantages of Custom Premixes for Food Manufacturers

What Is a Custom Premix?

A variety of foods and beverages rely on fortification to deliver the extra nutrition and functional benefits consumers are looking for. Products may contain added vitamins and minerals, for example, or other essential nutrients such as electrolytes, amino acids, or omega-3 fatty acids. Functional ingredients might include bioactive proteins, prebiotic fibers, or botanicals.

The more of these ingredients a product contains, the more challenging it can be for a company in terms of procurement, inventory management, and production. A custom premix, which is a custom blend of typically ten to twenty nutrients in the precise proportions needed for a product, can alleviate many of these challenges. A custom premix is designed according to a company’s unique specifications and can even include ingredients such as gums, sweeteners, and flavors for maximum convenience.

Top Benefits of Using a Custom Premix

Food and beverage companies that make health and nutrition-focused products can choose from a few different fortification strategies. These include ordering each nutrient individually, using an off-the-shelf blend, or having a custom premix developed. Here’s a look at some of the top reasons to choose a custom premix:

1. Support

Partnering with a custom premix supplier gives a company access to extensive R&D support and expertise, which helps ensure the best solution. Once a company specifies the nutrients and levels desired, the custom premix supplier will ask about the ingredients, processing requirements, finished product attributes, storage conditions, and target shelf life. This discussion allows the supplier to determine the best chemical forms to use, the overages required, if microencapsulation is recommended, and other factors key to minimizing nutrient loss and flavor impact.

2. Savings

Using a custom premix can also save the expense of sourcing and qualifying multiple ingredients. This includes savings through reduced freight charges and quality testing costs. And since time is money, additional savings can be realized due to the handling of fewer ingredients, which impacts a number of functions, ranging from receiving to production.

3. Simplicity

Simplifying operations is a major benefit of using a custom premix rather than multiple ingredients. Procurement, warehousing, quality control, and production are all departments that see increased operational efficiencies from making the switch. Inventory management becomes more streamlined, and the problem of stocking individual nutrients with various use-by dates is eliminated. The custom premix option also allows for smaller minimum orders and even custom packaging to simplify addition during production.

4. Security

A custom premix can also help reduce risks. For example, if a formula calls for ten different vitamins and minerals, and just one of these is late in arriving, the production schedule can be impacted. A custom premix guarantees all the nutrients required for a product are available at the same time, ready to go. As a leading custom premix supplier, we at Glanbia Nutritionals have measures in place, such as redundant suppliers, to ensure we have all the ingredients needed to fill a customer’s order. Our in-house lab also provides security in knowing that your order is always to spec.

Glanbia Nutritionals Supports Today’s Nutrient Needs

Whether you’re looking for individual nutrients, an off-the-shelf blend, or a custom premix designed just for you, Glanbia Nutritionals has you covered. We have the solutions and expertise to bring you value throughout the entire premix process. Whatever your stage of product development, for whatever application, we have a premix solution that’s right for you. Collaborate with us to create the delicious, nutritious products that today’s consumers demand.