NEW BERLIN, WIS. — Denali Ingredients, a supplier of chocolate coatings, fudge sauces, powders, fruit variegates, stabilizers, extruded products, flakes and other ingredients for the dairy, ice cream, bakery and food service industries, has expanded its 40-year-old facility in New Berlin. The company said it invested $5.5 million toward a complete re-facing of the exterior facade as well as interior renovations intended to support Denali’s growth in the United States.
The $5.5 million investment is part of a larger $12 million investment Denali has planned for the location. The company said the decision to expand has been driven by ingredients production that has more than doubled in the past decade, sales revenues that have more than tripled since Denali took over, and staff that has tripled since Denali first acquired the facility in 2006.
“Our vision is to become the go-to ingredients supplier for innovative products and solutions,” said Neal Glaeser, president of Denali Ingredients.
Phase one interior renovations included a new innovation center to foster research, development and creative flavor collaboration with industry partners, as well as a pilot laboratory where Denali is able to simulate full-scale manufacturing of new concepts. Additionally, new production lines and capabilities have been added, and administrative office space has been expanded, the company said.
Denali plans to invest another $6 million in its second phase of expansion over the next 24 months, a move that will add new production capabilities and seed another 40-50 new jobs.
“We’re investing at a time when many in our industry are moving in the other direction,” Mr. Glaeser said. “It’s an opportunity for us to get closer to the consumer and to play a larger role in our customer’s own R.&D. efforts as true collaborators. Ultimately, the entire industry benefits when these new flavors and concepts become mainstream trends in the grocery aisle.”
