Ingredion Acquires U.S. Potato Starch Manufacturer

Food and beverage ingredients maker Ingredion recently purchased the operations of Moses Lake, WA-based potato starch and tapioca stach manufacturer Western Polymer for an undisclosed sum, the firm announced in a press release Friday.

“This acquisition expands our higher-value specialty ingredients business, which is central to Ingredion’s growth strategy. We have tremendous respect for the culture and business that Western Polymer has built and we look forward to the future opportunities that we will create together,” Ingredion’s chief executive officer and president Jim Zallie said in a statement. 

Taking on Western Polymer boosts the ingredient firm’s production capacity for potato starch, improves its processing capabilities, and expands its offerings of specialty ingredients. Western Polymer produces native and modified potato starches for food and industrial uses. The company’s modified tapioca starch is made for industrial applications.  

“We’re excited to leverage the strengths of Western Polymer and Ingredion to continue developing high-quality ingredients that align with consumer trends and customers’ needs,” Lynn Townsend-White, president and chief executive officer of Western Polymer, said in the release. “By coming together now, this enables even greater reach for our ingredients and positions the business for continued growth.”

Western Polymer currently operates manufacturing facilities in Moses Lake, WA, Fort Fairfield, ME, and Grand Forks, ND. 

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