According to the agreement, Ingredion will distribute Lyckeby’s wide range of potato starch and waxy barley ingredients in Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC).

Effective from 1 September, the new strategic alliance will enable food producers of both regions to have access to Lyckeby’s products.

By combining Lyckebys ingredients with its texture and application expertise, Ingredion could open-up new possibilities in various food applications, including meat, cheese, batters and breading.

Lyckeby’s speciality potato starch and waxy barley range will continue to be sold under its existing brand name. The range will allow Ingredion to provide food manufacturers with additional functionalities such as improved crispiness in low-moisture systems, processability in savoury applications, and control of melt and stretch in cheese analogues.

In addition to EMEA and APAC regions, the ingredients will be available to customers in the UK, Ireland, Turkey and South Africa.

Ingredion APAC and EMEA president Jorgen Kokke said: "This is a great opportunity for us to expand our portfolio with a complimentary range of speciality ingredients.

“There are clear synergies between the two companies, from our combined technical expertise to our shared commitment to providing consistent, high-quality ingredients.

“We now have a full portfolio of modified starches and flours, which we can draw upon to advise customers on the best ingredient solution for their application and functionality requirements."

Established in 1927, Lyckeby is a farmer owned company that manages and operates the entire supply chain from seed cultivation to the specialised production of food ingredients.

Lyckeby CEO Hans Berggren said: "We are delighted to be working with Ingredion enabling us to expand our reach into key territories and food applications.

“By combining our individual business and technical strengths, we will bring more value to food manufacturers, as well as our farmers. One way we will achieve this is by exploring new functionalities for our product portfolio."