Kerry, an Ireland-based taste and nutrition company, has acquired Jining Nature Group, a China-based manufacturer of savoury flavours, seasonings and prepared food markets, for an undisclosed amount.

The acquisition should enable Kerry to add a wide range of local taste technologies and application capabilities to its portfolio.

Jining Nature Group has  300 employees, which includes a research and development team of 70 scientists, engineers, chefs, chemists and flavourists.

Kerry expects the acquisition to help expand its customer base in China and gain access into the country’s regional markets through distribution and foodservice channels.

This deal will help the company to boost its manufacturing capabilities and offer a full suite of savoury flavours in the Asia Pacific market along with its existing sweet and beverage flavour portfolios.

Kerry CEO Global Taste John Savage said: “This acquisition will be an important component of our global savoury taste strategy and, as a highly respected leader in the savoury taste marketplace in China, will allow us to accelerate our leadership in the key categories of Meat, Snacks and Instant Noodles.”

“The deep understanding from the Jining Nature team of local cuisine will enable us to create truly authentic taste solutions across a wide range of application and channels.

“In addition, the capabilities in Jining Nature are highly complementary to our Authentic Savoury platform which includes Smoke, Stocks and Fermentation along with a leading portfolio of Savoury Flavours.”

Established in 2000, Jining Nature Group comprises Shandong Tianbo Food Ingredients and Jining Nature Food Co.

It has two manufacturing facilities in the Shandong province of eastern China.

Kerry has offices in 32 countries, 150 manufacturing facilities and over 26,000 employees including more than 1,000 food scientists across its global operations.

Towards the end of 2020, Kerry signed an agreement to buy Canadian probiotics company Bio-K Plus International, for an undisclosed sum. The deal should boost its range of probiotics products range and build on the acquisitions of immune health brand Wellmune in 2015, and probiotic ingredient GanedenBC30 in 2017.