NC Food Innovation Lab
Kannapolis, NC
NC State cGMP pilot plant of 16,000 sq ft at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis, North Carolina, offering ideation, product and process development, scale-up and pilot production for startups through multinational food companies. It can produce limited runs for market tests or a small launch, with equipment for wet processing and juicing, retort and can seaming, HTST/UHT with aseptic filling, extrusion, spray and freeze drying, milling and blending, and bag-in-box and bag filling.
Request an introductionWhat this plant can run
Process
Lit: the preservation processes they state. 19 processes stated in all.
Packaging
2formats stated
Minimum order
Not publishedAsk on the first call.
Certifications
A dark light means their published information does not say, not that they cannot.
What they state
- Plant locations
- Kannapolis, NC
- Process
- Spray dryingFreeze dryingDehydrationExtrusionMilling and grindingDry blendingRetortCanningHTST pasteurizationUHTAsepticEmulsifying and homogenizingKettle cookingContinuous cookingCold pressingFermentationSlicing and portioningVacuum packingBottling
- Packaging
- Bag-in-boxBags and flexible film
- Products
- Sauces and marinadesChips and extruded snacksPlant-based meatGranola and cerealPasta and noodlesBarsRefrigerated prepared foodsFrozen mealsAlcoholic beverages
- Minimum order
- Not published
- Food safety certification
- Not stated in their published informationNo GFSI scheme found on their site; not proof they lack one.
- Other certifications
- GMP
- Regulatory scope
- Not stated in their published information
- Equipment
- Dixie steam blancher and lye peeler, Urschel slicer/dicer, Langsenkamp pulper-finisher, Goodnature cold press juicer, Speidel bladder press
- Lee triple-action kettles (25, 60, 125 gal) and jacketed tanks
- Allpax 2402 retort and Dixie vacuum can seamer
- Microthermics HTST/UHT processor with homogenizer and aseptic ultraclean fill hood
- SinnovaTek continuous flow microwave, SPX Votator scraped surface heat exchanger, CiderSure UV pasteurizer, 50 gal vacuum pan
- Buhler PiloTwin twin-screw extruder
- GEA Mobile Minor spray dryer, Millrock freeze dryer, fluid bed, convection and tray dryers
- Frewitt mill, grain mills, Netzsch air classifier mill, Sweco sifter, ribbon, paddle, V and tumble blenders
- solvent, subcritical and cold press oil extractors; membrane filtration; Alfa Laval separator
- fermenters (17 to 31 gal)
- piston fillers, auger filler, rotary cup filler, bag-in-box filler, band and impulse bag sealers, VacMaster vacuum sealer, metal detectors
- Batch size or capacity
- Pilot scale; limited runs to test in market or for a small launch. Examples: Buhler twin-screw extruder 50 to 200 lb/hr, HTST/UHT 180 L/hr, bag-in-box filler 6 to 10 bags/min
- Services
- Formulation and R&DRecipe scale-upPilot and small runsCommercialization supportSensory testingIn-house labProcess authority helpFood safety consultingPhotography and marketing
- Works with
- Idea-stage brandsStartups and first runsLarge CPG companies
- Also states
- Extraction of oils, proteins, fibers, colors and phytonutrients
- Manufacturing products for clinical studies
- In-house micro, pH, moisture and water activity testing; third-party lab for pathogens, nutrition and allergens
- Consumer focus groups and marketing plans
- Food safety training (HACCP, GMPs, Acidified Foods Manufacturing School)
- Process authority letters through NC State EI4F and partner process authorities
- Type of company
- R&D and pilot lab
How we checked
Verified 2026-10-02 from the manufacturer's published information (5 pages checked).
Their own published information states these capabilities clearly.
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