Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of speciality food ingredients and solutions, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire the business and assets of Winway Biotechnology Nantong Co. Ltd., a leading producer of polydextrose speciality fibre in the People’s Republic of China.

The transaction is subject to governmental approval which is expected later in the year.

Winway operates from a manufacturing facility and laboratories in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, where it produces a range of polydextrose products which are sold to customers in China and worldwide. Tate & Lyle intends to invest in the Nantong facility over the next two years to expand capacity and enhance its speciality fibre product offering. Nantong will become Tate & Lyle’s third polydextrose facility globally, in addition to existing lines in the Netherlands and the US.

Polydextrose is a premium, low calorie bulking agent and dietary fibre. It plays a key role in replacing the technical functionality of sugar, providing bulk, body, texture and mouthfeel in reduced calorie, no-added-sugar and/or high fibre foods. A soluble dietary fibre with prebiotic properties, polydextrose helps support gastrointestinal health, is very well tolerated, has a low glycemic/blood glucose response, and is clean tasting and easy to use.

Polydextrose is one of Tate & Lyle’s growing range of speciality fibres which includes PROMITOR® Soluble Corn Fibre, PROMITOR® Soluble Gluco Fibre and PromOat® Beta Glucan.

Olivier Rigaud, president of speciality food ingredients for Tate & Lyle, said: “The acquisition of Winway provides us with an excellent platform from which to accelerate the growth of our specialty fibres business in Asia Pacific, and to expand our Health and Wellness offering globally.”