Paulig shoots for European Tex Mex leadership with new tortilla factory in Belgium
The taste for Tex Mex is rapidly on the rise among Europeans, with Paulig Group accounting more than half its €966m revenue in 2021 to the Tex Mex market. In addition, the Helsinki-based organisation is known for its snacks, coffees and spices, sold in 70 markets worldwide.
The 10,000m² plant boasts three production lines, producing tortillas for the Santa Maria and Poco Loco brands, as well as private labels. It also has the capacity to produce tortillas without wheat flour and gluten.
Double turnover
“This €45 million investment facilitates future growth and strengthens our position as the Tex Mex market leader in Europe,” said Rolf Ladau, CEO of the Paulig Group.
“This market is growing rapidly in Europe and our new tortilla factory allows us to seize the opportunities available to us.
“Our ambition is to double our turnover in the European Tex Mex market, and this new plant is an essential element to achieve this. In addition, the plant strengthens our innovation capabilities by allowing us to further develop the Tex Mex market.”
The investment is also expected to create more than 60 new jobs: mainly for operators, technicians, team leaders and warehousemen, including several positions to support the growth of other departments.
“The city of Roeselare is very honoured by Paulig’s trust by investing more in our city, known as the Food Valley of Flanders,” said Kris Declercq, mayor of Roeselare.
“The high quality of its products, the sustainable approach and the enthusiasm of future employees prove that the goals and ambitions of Paulig and our city encompass and even strengthen our long-standing partnership.”
Carbon neutral
Paulig is on a mission to become one of the most dynamic agri-food companies in Europe and a pioneer in the sustainable development of the sector by 2030.
As such, the Roeselare plant – the 11th in Group’s network – has obtained CarbonNeutral certification, issued by Climate Impact Partners. To qualify, companies must demonstrate their commitment to sustainable development by complying with the CarbonNeutral Protocol.
“The plant is equipped with the latest technologies, which helps us meet the needs of our customers, develop innovative products and strengthen our sustainability strategy,” said Thomas Panteli, SVP Supply Chain & Sourcing for the Group.
“Our customers appreciate this, and we are proud to offer them all these aspects in a location that is exceptional from a logistics point of view as it enables efficient logistics throughout Europe.”
The new plant is located next to Paulig’s existing Tex Mex product factory in Roeselare and connected to the company’s high-bay warehouse by a 10m bridge, which significantly reduces the need for road transport.
