“Strength and consistency – it sounds so simple but it’s imperative to a baker’s success,” confirms Neal Bassi, President of Manildra Group USA, about the naturally superior vitalising gluten from “the best wheat protein quality region in the world”.
“Our procurement expertise in the Australian NSW wheatbelt – well-known as the best wheat protein quality region globally – is supported by a long history of gluten production by Manildra Group, with technical resources and innovation centres worldwide,’ Mr Bassi said.
“A focus on wheat alone allows us to be the best.”
But it’s not just the world-class reputation of Australian wheat behind the global appetite for the vital wheat gluten. Manildra Group customers use the products to fortify a range of foods – from breads through to breakfast cereals, weight management bars and nutritional beverages, meat and egg powder replacement products, and feeds for fishing or pets.
“Australia was the first country in the world to commercially dry gluten,” said Manildra Group General Manager Peter Simpson. “We’re proud to continue this tradition by producing vital wheat gluten – a high-protein fine powder extracted from premium Australian wheat flour.”
Manildra Group produces vital wheat gluten and other premium proteins at the world’s largest wheat processing facility of its kind, in the regional NSW town of Nowra, where the most advanced industry technology produces the natural wheat protein (gluten) for a full range of tailored food applications.
As consumer demands and industry trends have evolved, so has Manildra Group USA – the Iowa manufacturing facility opened in 1994 remains unrivalled in its ability to create specialty valueadded products, including highly functional proteins and starches.
“Our customers get the highest quality and service on a day-to-day basis, each and every crop year,” said Mr Bassi.
“We’re renowned by bakers worldwide as setting the benchmark for the highest quality and most consistent vital wheat gluten.” – Neal Bassi, Manildra Group USA President
“Bakers select vital wheat gluten according to its ability to enhance flour quality, strength, elasticity and gas retention in dough, and to improve the texture of baked goods – and our product ticks every box.”
Mr Simpson said the vital wheat gluten perfected by Manildra Group was also exceptional in other applications, such as strengthening and as a texturiser, processing aid, stabiliser, water absorption, retention agent, thermosetting agent, and an agent for flavour and colour.
Mr Bassi said that consumer demand for cleaner and less processed foods provided “an opportunity for ingredient companies like Manildra Group to provide solutions through product development and innovation”.
“We’ve created a range of wheat protein isolates, customised to fit any application with versatility and unique functionality. In the past, wheat proteins were used solely for strength and texture – now our protein range adds firmness to pasta or acts as egg or cream replacements in bakery products.
“We are also offering an organic range – catering to the growing high-protein organic baked goods and plant-based meat industries,” said Mr Bassi.
Manildra Group’s ongoing program of investment in technology, to support collaboration with customers in pioneering product development, includes the 2017 construction of a specially designed Innovation and Research Centre in Leawood, in the North American state of Kansas. This supports the fully resourced Australian research and development facilities in Sydney, Melbourne, Manildra and Nowra.
Offering training and information sessions and quality-control monitoring, these facilities provide customers with world-class laboratories and a fully equipped bakery environment for a variety of purposes – from training and workshops with customers and sales teams to sensory panels on visual appeal, taste and texture.
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