Healthy future ahead as Alfa Laval’s innovation is poised to boost the beverage industry

Shifts in consumer demands are opening up new and exciting beverage opportunities for Alfa Laval’s industry-leading high-speed separators and decanter technologies. 

So says specialist Filippa Kinderdal, who in her global sales and business development role in the Food and Pharma’s Separation Technologies business unit, works with producers of drinks that require some element of separation in the process. That means everything from wine to tea and citrus juices to coconut drinks. 

“There is a lot happening across this sector, driven by a general trend towards healthier options,” she explains. “Just look at coffee and tea; traditionally, these are beverages drunk hot and often in shared social settings – that is certainly the case in Sweden where a hot drink on a cold day is perfect. Now we also see a demand for ready-to-drink iced coffees and teas, which are available on-the-go from machines or off the shelves.” 

This cold beverage trend has been a major factor in Asia for a while but is also taking off in other global markets, where consumers are looking for convenience, quality and healthy alternatives. 

“For me, cold tea is not a flavour explosion, but you cannot argue with the customer!” laughs Filippa. “Gen Z and younger millennials are driving demand as they look for interesting alternatives to alcoholic and sugary drinks.” 

As producers explore new flavours and more sustainable techniques to make the tea and coffee, Alfa Laval is on hand to support, both with its portfolio of premium high-speed separators and decanters, and its in-house expertise from colleagues such as Filippa, paving the way to innovation, greater efficiency and product safety. 

Filippa says: “There is a widening range of products in this market, with oat drinks, lattés, matcha drinks and kombucha-based teas, and producers are continually looking at adding new flavours to the original product to expand their brands.  

“This is what we like to hear at Alfa Laval, where we are adept at taking existing technology and adapting it to tackle new challenges.” 

It is the same story in other sectors where producers are looking to make the most of these consumer shifts but do not want to sacrifice quality and efficiency in the drive for growth. Filippa’s colleagues are travelling all over the globe in order to meet with interested producers who want to explore how Alfa Laval’s world-class solutions can help them. 

From iced teas to coconut drinks, how shifting consumer tastes are creating a wave of new opportunities in beverage separation 

The coconut drink sector, for instance, where the demand for alternative drinks is soaring, as is the consumer expectation for new and exciting flavours. 

“This is part of a wider trend to seek out plant-based alternatives, and coconut is generally perceived as clean label, allergen-friendly and able to deliver natural hydration, so it ticks a lot of boxes,” says Filippa. “This is an exciting area where we are looking to get more involved, as there is a huge potential here for our high-speed separator expertise to deliver big process benefits.” 

Meanwhile, a more traditional industry, the citrus sector, continues to be an area of growth, while facing significant challenges posed by climate change and crop diseases, which impacts the availability and predictability of the raw materials. 

The rising demand for flavours from fruits like oranges, lemons, clementines and limes is, again, linked to the global health drive, and has driven producers to invest in technology that is able to extract the maximum value from those raw materials. That includes essential oils from the peels, which is proving to be a valuable byproduct, being used as flavouring or in the cosmetic industry.  

“Over the past few years, climate-related challenges and crop diseases in certain regions have impacted both the availability and quality of raw materials,” says Filippa. “We have captured a lot of the citrus market because our equipment is so efficient, and also can adapt to the flexibility often required.” 

While instability has intensified demand and contributed to increased prices, other regions are also becoming involved in the citrus market, such as Egypt.  

Filippa says: “My colleague Juan Miguel Comillas has been working very closely with producers in the new regions to help build their processes, and having Alfa Laval’s highperforming, reliable equipment is critical in making this work successful.” 

The drive now is to take that expertise and technology into other markets and a number of operators across a broad spectrum of industries are now contacting Alfa Laval to discuss possibilities. 

“We are building relationships and our presence in these markets, and even though it is a very varied landscape, we know our portfolio is adaptable and can deliver,” says Filippa. “We are seeing this already in areas like tomato processing and we are working with integrators to increase our reach with these different producers.” 

All this activity within new markets does not mean that Alfa Laval has gone quiet in traditional arenas such as alcohol. Wine, for instance, remains a stable market, although there are intriguing possibilities for future growth. 

“Wine is one of our fundamental businesses, and there is interesting potential in this area in finding a low- or no-alcohol product,” says Filippa. “This is a field where there are real possibilities for development and innovation, as in my eyes we have not yet seen a low- or no-alcohol alternative that has made a mark in the same way that the beer versions have. 

“We would be delighted to play a part in producing products that really hit the spot with drinkers so that they can enjoy the taste with none of the headaches!” 

With water stress rising and raw materials under pressure, sustainability is no longer a bonus — it's a business necessity 

Through all the different sectors, one of the key benefits that Alfa Laval’s portfolio of high-speed separators and decanters offers is the potential to operate more sustainably. This is an area that Filippa is particularly passionate about, especially when it comes to saving water, and in the world of beverages, this can have a massive positive impact on costs as well as the environment. 

She says: “Water stress is a big problem and has been increasing in the last few years. I really want to help customers reduce their water usage, and this is not just a goal; it is a necessity; we can’t afford to send water down the drain any longer. We have to reuse and recirculate it in the processes as much as possible.” 

It is thanks to the commitment of colleagues like Filippa that Alfa Laval leads the way when it comes to water and energy saving technology that can be used in the beverages industry, with innovative features such as hermetic designs putting them at the forefront of the sustainability drive. 

Looking ahead, Filippa’s drive to deliver efficiency and sustainability to her customers shows no sign of diminishing, and in the beverage world, she sees many opportunities opening up. 

“There are so many variations with the different applications and drinks, so it remains a continually fascinating area to work,” she says. “Here at Alfa Laval, we have premium products, and that quality is really important in beverages because you are so close to the finished product and the end-user. 

“In this industry, we may work on a business-to-business basis, but I can go to a customer’s site, and they will put a drink in my hand and say that an Alfa Laval separator has produced that, and that feels very rewarding and very tangible.”