Director Charles Eid told FoodManufacture.co.uk that tortilla production capability had been increased by 50%, after claiming more than half the own-label market for the products in the UK.
Honeytop, which produces tortillas for McDonald’s, Sharwoods and many other retail and foodservice clients, has also expanded production and packing capacity of its extended-life naans by 50%.
Eid declined to put a figure on the investment involved in the new facilities, but said they were needed becuase of increased demand from retail clients.
Special recipe
Honeytop was founded in 1984 but only entered the tortilla market in 2008. It was the first to market with resealable zip-lock packaging and also developed a special recipe and process that prevents tortillas sticking together in the packet.
The company claims its tortilla production line is one of the fastest in the world.
Eid said: “Customer response has been very positive since we started production in this area and we plan to continue to grow our market share through innovation, and the continual production of superior quality wraps.”
The company employs 400 people in the UK and also produces filled breads, doughballs and morning goods including pancakes and crumpets.
This year it is opening a £3m factory near Mumbai in India that will create around 100 jobs and cater for growing demand in Asia and Australia. The facility was originally scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2011, but construction delays mean that Honeytop is now revising its forecast to “some time this year”.
The company has also indicated that it is considering expansion into the US.