Exeter-based fruit ingredients supplier Cobell has opened a £500,000 aseptic juice blending and packaging facility enabling chefs, restaurateurs and caterers to create bespoke juice products with a nine-month ambient shelf-life.
The facility pasteurises and packages not-from-concentrate juices into sterile three-, five-, 10-, and 20-litre ‘wine box style’ bags with self-sealing taps. These have a three-week shelf-life once opened, seven times longer than a traditional Tetra Pak, said Cobell md Nick Sprague.
The facility is designed for caterers keen to create their own juice, smoothie and dessert products using local produce to sell under their own brand, or Cobell’s JuiceBox brand, said Sprague. “Our ability to pack modest quantities is our strength as many packers look for large volume runs, which currently makes bespoke blends a commercial impossibility for small customers.”
Established in 1999, Cobell supplies fruit juice concentrates, purees, individually quick frozen whole fruits, flavours and colours for drinks, ice creams, sorbets, ready meals, desserts, yoghurts, bakery products, soups, preserves, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.