Yeast specialist Ohly has commissioned a new spray drying tower at its Hamburg manufacturing site, marking a major step in the company’s ongoing investment programme aimed at expanding capacity, increasing automation and strengthening supply reliability for customers.
The newly operational tower is now shipping its first dried yeast specialties, reinforcing Ohly’s ability to meet growing demand across food, fermentation and specialty ingredient applications. The investment underlines Ohly and parent company Associated British Foods (ABF)’s long-term commitment to the Hamburg site, where the company has operated for nearly 190 years.
Ohly has built deep expertise in spray-drying yeast over several decades, and the new installation is among the most advanced spray drying facilities in Europe. Purpose-designed for yeast specialties, the tower is expected to deliver consistent product quality while enhancing production flexibility and operational efficiency. According to the company, the expansion will also support a more secure and resilient supply chain.
The facility has been engineered with a strong focus on automation and safety, with both spray drying and packaging processes largely automated. This approach is intended to improve workplace ergonomics, reduce manual handling and ensure high standards of product and operational safety.
Sustainability has also been integrated into the project. The new spray drying tower features a modern heat recovery system to improve thermal efficiency and support Ohly’s decarbonisation roadmap. In addition, by increasing in-house spray drying capacity, the company will significantly reduce the need to transport yeast to external partners, lowering associated emissions and logistics complexity.
Commenting on the development, Ohly management said the project strengthens the company’s ability to deliver high-quality yeast-based solutions while aligning long-term growth with environmental responsibility.
With the commissioning of the new tower, Ohly expects to further enhance collaboration with customers by offering improved reliability, consistent quality and a reduced environmental footprint, as it continues to invest in future-ready manufacturing capabilities.