Nuttelex, a family-owned Australian company, has been crafting plant-based table spreads since the 1930s, offering healthy products for both consumers and trade customers. Their diverse range of dairy-free spreads caters to various tastes and dietary needs, serving both domestic and international markets.
New products for health-conscious customers
In 2021, Nuttelex took an exciting leap forward by expanding beyond its core product range to launch a new line of long-life, healthy plant-based beverages, perfectly tailored for its health-conscious customers. With a vision for the future, Nuttelex set out to create a flexible and scalable production process to craft delicious oat and almond drinks, and other vegetable-based stocks.
Supporting production excellence
At the heart of this initiative is a focus on modern manufacturing and operational performance. Through investments in process technology, automation, and production capabilities, Nuttelex is strengthening its operations and supporting the effective use of ingredients throughout the manufacturing process. The result is a production environment designed to support hygiene standards, operator usability, and consistent manufacturing operations.
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with GEA for this project, which spans from the initial concept to trial phases and full commissioning. Our collaboration leverages cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices to deliver a high-end product, aligning with Nuttelex's core commitment to producing quality products from locally sourced ingredients to consumers who wish to make healthy choices.”
Geoff Long
CEO, Nuttelex
Trust in GEA expertise
Recognizing the opportunity to expand into aseptic plant-based beverage processing as a natural extension to its plant foods aspirations, Nuttelex partnered with us here at GEA to leverage our comprehensive expertise in manufacturing, process design and advanced technology. Nuttelex put its trust in us to develop a complete, state-of-the-art process line tailored to Nuttelex’s requirements from initial concept, through testing and installation, to the start of commercial production and beyond.
Technologies to support growth and expansion
Our collaboration resulted in an integrated system for raw material handling, dosing, mixing, heating, hydrolysis, blending, and UHT treatment. The process incorporates heat recovery, automation, and cleaning systems as part of the overall plant design. The solution was configured to support the customer's production requirements and operational needs.
The new Nuttelex facility, sited in outer Melbourne, has been designed to support the company´s growing product line and expansion plans. In 2023 our GEA teams carried out product trials and were ready to simulate the complete process line at the GEA facilities in Oelde, and Ahaus, Germany. The Nuttelex R&D team witnessed the proposed line in operation, giving them complete confidence in the design before delivery and installation at their own site.
Focus on productivity, efficiency and quality
The end-to-end process line is designed to give great productivity, every day, and we’ve focused on building in equipment and components that will help to maximize product quality, optimize efficiency and support more environmentally focused manufacturing. Once running at full capacity – commercial production is expected to start by the end of 2024 - the plant-based beverage line will have a throughput of about 12,000 l/hour. Key equipment included the GEA decanter - which Nuttelex came to see first-hand at our technology center in Germany - and the UHT unit, which combines indirect and direct modules to produce visually appealing, great quality plant-based drinks.
Nuttelex and GEA team
Saving energy, supporting recycling and reducing waste
We’ve also built in hardware and software systems that in combination can enable significant savings in energy and resource use, and unlock opportunities for recycling, to reduce waste and carbon footprint. The GEA Codex® automation platform works 24/7 to optimize operation and so increase efficiency, reduce resource and energy use. Heat recovery and recycling technology engineered into the line could feasibly let Nuttelex save 60-65% in heat energy requirements for some processes. GEA CIP plants automate essential equipment cleaning in the wet part of the process to reduce any risk of cross contamination. Thorough, automated CIP can also use less chemicals and water than manual cleaning, reducing costs but also resulting in less waste-water burden.
A recipe for success
So why has this great collaboration has been so successful? One key aspect was that the local GEA team really took the time to listen to Nuttelex and understand the company’s needs, from process, product, and business perspectives. Only once we knew more about our partner and their goals could we assemble the best team of people from global GEA sites to tackle the design, test and build process. Importantly, local GEA teams with a key understanding of Australian regulations are on site, and their local knowledge is instrumental in helping to prevent hiccups, delays and alterations.
Our goal is to support our customers throughout the entire lifespan of their plants. Our quick response service team has been actively involved throughout the project, and we aim to collaborate closely with the Nuttelex team to craft a tailored service lifecycle agreement that meets their specific needs and budget.
