Botanical extract specialist Layn Natural Ingredients is securing a targeted US$148 million from stock to be invested in infrastructure expansion and innovation. 

The move aims to improve the company’s R&D and innovation at Layn’s next generation manufacturing facility. The site is expected to be completed in three years, offering the capacity to process an additional 4,000 metric tons of stevia leaf extract per year.

“Consumers worldwide are increasingly demanding more natural ingredients over synthetics, and the strategically planned expansion will meet the growing global demand of natural sweeteners and polyphenol-rich botanical ingredients,” states the company.

“Layn will also expand its sustainable agronomy innovation programs to expand its transparent and traceable supply chain.”

Ensuring supply chain stability during COVID-19
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, industry experienced unprecedented supply chain disruptions amid surging demand for natural immune support, stress management and other clean label, healthy ingredients.

Throughout the period, Layn reports it has maintained a reliable inventory despite industry fluctuations and explicitly guarantees long-term supply for annual contracts.

Layn is among the largest direct-manufacturer of stevia and monk fruit natural sweetener extracts, and directly produces and innovates a variety of additional functional botanical extracts including polyphenol-rich botanical extracts such as pomegranate, rosemary and sophora japonica.

It also offers tea extracts including green tea, black tea, oolong and pu erh. Last December, the company completed a majority acquisition of Chengdu Wagott Bio-tech (Wagott), China’s largest exporter of green tea extract and a producer of tea and resveratrol extracts.

Discovery of new botanical extracts
Layn has achieved over 50 patents globally in science and innovation, and the new funding will also support Layn’s ongoing commitment to the discovery of new botanical extract innovations and science for specific botanical compounds.

This includes investment in Layn’s globally-connected, state-of-the-art innovation centers located in Asia, Europe and the US.

These centers bring together leading industry scientists and experts to conduct ongoing research and provide formulation and lab support to manufacturing partners around the world.