Gold Coast business Plant Doctor has launched a new business, AgTech Freeze Drying, adding freeze drying to its manufacturing capabilities and expanding its business to include freeze-dried powdered products.
The 220sqm purpose-built facility is located in Biggera Waters, with owner and managing director Adam Fitzhenry saying the investment was a logical decision given the growth of the industry and gap in the market.
Fitzhenry said, “Freeze drying powders is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and it’s an advantageous offering to what we’re currently doing with our food manufacturing arm.”
According to IMARC Group, the global freeze-dried food market is expected to show a compound annual growth rate of 8.15 per cent between 2022-2027.
“There’s a handful of people who specialise in freeze drying and a significant number of people wanting it done, so we’ve seen a bottleneck in this throughout South-East Queensland.”
The company will source and produce the freeze-dried products as well as providing packaging, labelling and shipping to customers.
Plant Doctor freeze dries on demand, and stocks a selection of fast moving white label products.
“This is a model that works particularly well, as the freeze-drying process ensures food keeps its maximum nutritional value while extracting moisture that causes spoilage.
“It’s also proven to be one of the best methods to prolong shelf life, preserves the authentic flavours and it enables food products to be versatile, accessible and convenient,” he said.
Fitzhenry said AgTech’s freeze-drying process has been developed to ensure consistency throughout each point of product and runs on 100 per cent carbon-offset green power.
