The firm aims to double UK production from 150,000t to 300,000t by the end of the first quarter of 2013, Alan Chaytor, executive director, NBPO, told FoodManufacture.co.uk.
“This year we are in the process of commissioning bakery and foodservice plant at our Liverpool site,” said Chaytor.
He said the additional processing facility would enable the firm to roll out SPO fractions for manufacturers and caterers of pastry and cake margarine and shortening. The supply of these had previously been tight, he added.
It could supply edible oils in foodservice packaging for the catering sector, he said.
Palm oil for bakery
Andrew Worrall, general manager of NBPO’s Liverpool plant, said: “An awful lot of palm oil in the UK gets consumed in the form of bakery products – about 25–30%.
“This will increase the number of SKUs (stock keeping units) on the market, offering five or six refined types of bakery margarine.”
By April, May NBPO hoped to offer 90% of manufacturers’ requirements for fully segregated and traceable SPO in all sectors.
At least £9.5M had been invested in the bakery and foodservice facility and £10M had been earmarked for further expansion, said Chaytor.
Worrall added: “One of our challenges from day one is to have as broad a range of products as possible.” This included offering refined palm oil, olein [used for cooking oil], stearin and palm kernel oil.
Annual results
2011 annual results for NBPO released on February 24 show pre-tax profit increased by 110% to £175.2M ($275.5M) on revenue up 69% to £496M ($780.1M), attributed to increased volumes and high prices.
“If you look back over the past four years we have doubled the size of the business since we listed in December 2007. And we have more than doubled profits,” said Chaytor. “We will continue to grow as sustainably as we can.”