Xampla partners with Lehmann Ingredients on vitamin protection

The Cambridge spinout’s patented technology uses plant feedstocks to create solutions for the materials industry, including replacing plastic films, microcapsules, and coatings. Lehman Ingredients will use Xampla’s tech to fortify vitamin D in food and beverages, encapsulating it within a microscopic, digestible capsule engineered from plant proteins.

“Lehmann’s is rightly a highly trusted ingredient supplier, so we are really delighted to be working with them,” said Xampla CEO, Alexandra French. “This partnership is a ringing endorsement of our technology, and a huge stride in making it available at scale.

“It’s a huge opportunity for brands who work with Lehmann’s to offer fortified vitamins, delivering the nutrients people need within the products they already love.”

Founded in 1988, Lehmann Ingredients is a supplier to the industrial manufacturing industry, working with multinational drinks and food manufacturers, including prominent producers of soft drinks and plant milks. It is the first distributor to partner with Xampla using microencapsulation technology.

First delivered in collaboration with soft drinks manufacturer Britvic, Xampla microencapsulation capsules are claimed to improve the stability of nutrients in liquid, protecting them from degradation caused by UV light, pH imbalance and pasteurisation. The technology will enable Lehmann’s customers to offer fortified products without ‘overage’ of added vitamins, which can add to the cost of production.  

“Thanks to our supply partnerships, we are able to offer an extensive range of ingredients to meet manufacturer’s formulation objectives,” said Charlie Lehmann, director at Lehmann Ingredients. “Xampla’s innovative encapsulation solution makes for a very exciting addition to our portfolio.

“We believe consumers will be really pleased with the results of Xampla’s technology which enables ‘enteric’, that is delayed release within the digestive system after consumption.”

Xampla also recently announced a deal with food packaging specialist Huhtamaki and manufacturer 2M Group to deploy the company’s plastic-free Morro Coating on takeaway boxes, replacing traditional plastic coatings.