Customer testimonials
Developing a yacon syrup production process: the CTCPA supports Yacon & Co
05
Sep
Published on: 05/09/2023
The CTCPA helped startup YACON & CO develop its yacon syrup production process. Raphaella NOLLEAU, co-founder, explains Yacon & Co's activity and our support.
"Working with people who are qualified in the field was a valuable and rewarding help. We were also able to optimize our time and money, since the CTCPA had the machines we needed. Over and above the technical aspect, we built up a good customer relationship!"
Tell us about Yacon & Co!
Yacon & co is a French company that sells an alternative to sugar based on the yacon plant.
Yacon syrup can be used in cake recipes, yoghurts, hot or cold drinks and as a topping on pancakes. It is 2 times lower in calories and 4 times lower in sugars than white sugar and other sugar substitutes such as agave syrup or coconut sugar.
Originally from Peru, yacon has recently been cultivated in France, and the young company intends to create a 100% made-in-France yacon syrup in the next few years.
Their yacon syrup is sold in jars in over 450 organic stores in France (Naturalia, Bio c'est Bon, Biocoop, La Vie Claire, Satoriz...) and on their e-commerce site, yacon.co.
Why did you work with the CTCPA?
To study the feasibility of our project, we launched an experiment on 3,000 plants spread over 8 farms in Brittany and Auvergne. Harvesting was scheduled for November, before the first frosts. The yacon was to be processed as quickly as possible after harvesting, ideally within 3 days.
So we set out to find a partner with the technical expertise in the agri-food sector to help us set up our transformation process. It was in this context that the Innov'Alliance competitiveness cluster, of which we are a member, put us in touch with the CTCPA, France's leading agri-food Industrial Technical Center (CTI).
How did the CTCPA support Yacon & Co and what did you think of it?
We were accompanied by Carla LUCET, Development Project Manager & National Start-up Manager, and Mathéo BENAS, Technology Project Manager.
The aim of the coaching was to :
- Support us in the development of our process for transforming the tubers from our harvests into yacon syrup, in accordance with our product specifications;
- To study and compare the nutritional and organoleptic variability of the finished products obtained from our different yacon plantations, in order to select the ideal agronomic conditions for obtaining the finished product corresponding to our specifications.
The CTCPA carried out trials in its technology hall, followed by nutritional, microbiological and organoleptic analyses in its Avignon laboratory.
We're delighted with the support we received. During the 2 days of testing, we made a lot of discoveries and they helped us optimize our different crops and our manufacturing process. It was great to be on site to see how the teams worked. We learned a lot by practicing with them!
Working with people who are qualified in the field was a valuable and rewarding help. We were also able to optimize our time and money, since the CTCPA had the machines we needed. We couldn't have afforded the cost of the machines on our own.
Finally, the project managers we worked with were all very friendly. Over and above the technical aspects, we built up a good customer relationship!
Where can we find you soon?
We will be present at the NATEXPO trade show in Paris from October 22 to 24, 2023.
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CONTACT YACON & CO :
CONTACT CTCPA :
- Carla LUCET, National Start-up Manager and Eastern Development Project Manager - clucet@ctcpa.org
- Mathéo BENAS, Technology Project Manager - mbenas@ctcpa.org
- CTCPA Avignon - avignon@ctcpa.org
The development of food products, processes and packaging is at the heart of our DNA. As a technical center, our mission is to identify, test and advise on innovations processes, products, ingredients, packaging for a organoleptic experience, and health of your consumers. You have a project? Please contact us!
