CHICAGO, IL and BELOIT, WI (February 2, 2017) — TRU Aseptics, LLC (TRU) announced today that it has completed its acquisition of the former WILD Flavors Aseptics Facility in Beloit, Wisconsin from Chicago-based Archer Daniels Midland Company. The facility is 65,000 sq. ft. and sits on 5.2 acres.
TRU will provide contract packaging and pilot plant services to its customers seeking shelf-stable, preservative-free, minimally processed fruit, dairy, vegetable, and plant-based juice ingredients for the food and beverage industry.
Scott Eckman, TRU’s Executive Vice President of Strategy, designed and built the plant in 2003 and is a Co Founder of TRU, along with James Hurley, TRU Aseptics CEO and the former CEO of Vegetable Juices, Inc (now part of France-based Naturex). Together, the two industry veterans have filed patents for a revolutionary “Hub & Spoke Aseptic Filling Process” to be initially utilized at the TRU Beloit plant.
“The TRU Beloit facility will be among the most flexible and advanced aseptic processing facilities in North America,” Hurley said. “We will provide our customers with both low and high acid aseptic and HTST processing, unitized packaging, multiple filling and packaging formats, lower production volume requirements and a state-of-the-art aseptic/HTST pilot plant.”
TRU anticipates hiring up to 50 employees by midyear and is actively recruiting qualified food industry professionals.
“We believe that our business model will enable us to be a trusted, independent partner with our customers to enable them to adapt in a market where the mega trend of consumers demanding better for you food and beverage ingredients is just ramping up,” said Stacey Huels, TRU’s chairman and co-founder.
TRU’s recapitalization was funded by First Focus Capital Partners (FFCP), founded in 2013 by Mr. Huels. FFCP’s proven business leaders have a deep understanding of companies in the lower middle market. They seek to control investments to assist with ownership transition in food processing, niche manufacturing and private label goods. For more information, visit www.firstfocuscapital.com.