The new facility was designed to expand the capacity of the company’s Sunset Glaze product, a plant-based and allergen-free egg wash alternative. The glaze creates a consistent and visually appealing shine on bakery products, providing a more premium look and enabling egg replacement. When opting for Sunset Glaze over egg washing, bakers are able to keep egg allergens out of their operations and reduce food safety risks. Sunset Glaze also offers additional environmental benefits: it significantly lowers CO₂ emissions associated with traditional egg wash, and minimizes runoff and drain blockages, contributing to cleaner operations.
“This is not just the launch of a new facility,” Tossut said. “It is a celebration of our values, our vision, and, of course, our people. At Puratos, we believe food has an extraordinary power. It sparks everyday joy in our lives; it nourishes bodies and minds; it brings people together. That’s why our mission is simple yet powerful: to help our customers succeed by turning technologies and experiences into new opportunities … We move the planet forward by creating innovative food solutions that promote health and well-being for everyone.”
Building a new factory is no small undertaking, especially when it’s the first facility of its kind in the country, equipped with specialty technology designed for consistent and efficient innovation for years to come. The project utilized partnerships between Puratos and its suppliers, local officials and the community.
“Manufacturing in the US comes with a responsibility to be as efficient as possible, and we’ve focused on building a highly automated and digitalized facility for our people and community,” Brimacombe said. “We wanted to create high-quality manufacturing jobs here in Jersey, and we focused on creating a desirable working environment and ergonomic conditions.”
Following the event’s opening remarks and facility tour, Commercial Baking sat down with Brimacombe and Tossut to discuss the Sunset Glaze innovation and the need for its new US-based home.
“We had an existing global network of Sunset Glaze plants, including one in Mexico at the time we decided to invest,” Brimacombe said. “We saw strong market demand globally as well as here in the US, so we made the decision with our Board to invest in a new facility in the US, as well as one in Chile. Part of our vision is to be close to our customers everywhere so we can respond to their needs. Having plants in key markets allows us to innovate more rapidly so it was logical to build a facility here in the world’s largest bakery market.”
When it came to consumer demand for the product, the need for a US facility was clear, especially amid rising inflation and regulatory shifts impacting tariffs and consumer spending.
“We followed consumer research, but we also saw that egg products are sometimes linked to supply chain disruptions like bird flu outbreaks, which lead to shortages and price spikes,” Tossut said. “Reducing dependency on eggs helps our customers manage cost and availability more effectively.”
The facility boasts customized technology that enables consistent, efficient deployment of the product, prioritizing the operator and customer experience.
“One of our key operating philosophies is continuous improvement,” Brimacombe said. “So, we applied our learning from around the world to strive to reach the next level as we designed and built the plant.”
