American Pasteurization Company (APC), a national leader in High Pressure Processing (HPP), acquired FreshCo Foods, a Milwaukee-based, end-to-end co-manufacturer of premium and specialty food products. As part of the acquisition, FreshCo has been renamed APC Manufacturing.
APC Manufacturing was founded in 2017 and has been adding capabilities and expanding its portfolio of business for the past year. The company has three CIA-trained chefs who work with clients on all aspects of product development – from concept creation and testing to packaging development and production. APC Manufacturing’s packaging capabilities currently include bag, squeeze pouch and container filling of almost any shape or size and induction seal application.
"APC Manufacturing was originally established as a stand-alone company to provide co-packing services to clients of APC. Its rapid growth has required an infusion of capital that’s best delivered by APC,” says Justin Segel, co-founder and CEO of American Pasteurization Company. “APC Manufacturing operates in the same building as APC, so it’s been an easy ownership transition.”
APC Manufacturing currently produces a variety of products, including: hummus; fresh salsa and pico de gallo; salad dressing; baby food; macaroni & cheese; soups and stews; mashed potatoes and potato sides; stuffing; pasta salads; fresh salads such as tuna and chicken; sauces and marinades; and pesto and marinara.
APC Manufacturing is also capable of co-packing guacamole and avocado-based products, fresh pasta and cooked pasta dishes, legume and bean dishes, grain and rice dishes, coleslaw and a variety of fresh dips.
“APC Manufacturing clients can take advantage of a full-service, turnkey process that provides co-packing and timely HPP services within the same facility,” says Segel. “Having manufacturing and HPP under one roof allows product to get into HPP faster, ensures the cold chain is maintained and eliminates an additional freight cost.”
The majority of APC Manufacturing’s clients also utilize high pressure pasteurization provided by APC. HPP is a cold pasteurization technique where products that are already sealed in their final package are pasteurized by applying extreme hydrostatic pressure. HPP kills bacteria that can cause spoilage and food-borne illness and greatly extends a product’s shelf life. Applying HPP to foods and beverages – rather than heat pasteurization or synthetic preservatives – results in products that have a fresher taste and better appearance, texture and nutritional composition.
