ICL, a leading global specialty-minerals company, opened its latest production facility in St. Louis. The company’s new alternative-protein facility will produce a plant-based meat substitute for use by food companies, food-service distributors, restaurants and grocery chains. The significant investment represents an expansion of ICL’s global Food Specialties portfolio and the company’s focus on developing healthier and more sustainable food products.
The new 10,000-square-foot facility was constructed on ICL’s 19-acre production campus in St. Louis. At full capacity the plant is expected to produce more than 15 million pounds of product each year.
The new ICL facility will transform plant protein into fibers that have a meat-like texture and can be used in a wide variety of food applications to replace meat, poultry or seafood. The fibers are notable for their clean flavor, natural texture and formulation versatility. The resulting finished product is all-vegan, allergen-free, kosher- and halal-certified, and non-GMO.
ICL’s Food Specialties business brings more than 75 years of experience to the food industry. The company, which is headquartered in Tel Aviv, has offices and facilities across the St. Louis region and around the globe. ICL employs nearly 800 people in the US, more than 300 of whom work in St. Louis at the company’s corporate offices in Creve Coeur, Missouri; the research and innovation hub in Webster Groves, Missouri; and the production campus in Carondelet, Missouri. With the opening of the new alternative-protein plant, ICL has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to St. Louis as its US headquarters.
