ADM fuels reformulation era with $26m expansion of flagship centre

ADM has officially broken ground on a $26 million investment at its Erlanger, Kentucky facility, a strategic move designed to anchor the company as the primary partner for brands navigating the better-for-you reformulation surge.

The expansion follows data showing a massive consumer shift, with 80% of US shoppers now actively favouring reformulated products. As food and beverage manufacturers face mounting pressure to deliver cleaner labels without sacrificing taste, the upgraded Erlanger site will serve as a high-tech "innovation engine" to solve the industry’s most complex sensory challenges.

The $26 million project adds 3,600 square feet to the existing campus and boosts raw material handling by 40%. By integrating advanced automation and digitalisation, ADM is scaling its production of naturally derived colours and flavours – the essential building blocks for sugar, salt, and fat reduction.

This investment complements a $15 million upgrade completed in 2025 at the site’s Customer Creation and Innovation Center, where R&D teams collaborate with manufacturers to prototype new recipes in real-time.

The facility is now optimised to help producers tackle the five most critical reformulation hurdles:

• Sugar & sodium reduction: using sophisticated flavour modulation to maintain "craveability" while cutting calories and salt.

• Protein enrichment: incorporating plant-based and ancient grain proteins into mainstream snacks and dairy without gritty textures.

• Fat & colour optimisation: replacing artificial dyes and saturated fats with high-performance, natural alternatives that retain visual and sensory appeal.

"Our enhanced Erlanger capabilities are vital for helping our customers navigate regulatory compliance and achieve consumer acceptance," said Ian Pinner, President of ADM’s Nutrition business.

As health-conscious trends like "Make America Healthy Again" and new sugar-reduction mandates take hold in 2026, ADM’s expanded Kentucky footprint provides the technical infrastructure necessary for brands to pivot their portfolios quickly and cost-effectively.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash