Comax is a manufacturer of liquid and dry flavorings and flavor masking technologies, while Food Specialties manufactures ingredients for ice cream makers.
It is hoped that the collaboration will give the companies a competitive edge as they eye the global market, as well as the market in the US.
A spokeswoman for Comax told FoodNavigator-USA.com: “The ice cream market in the US is still fairly strong.
“With the current economical woes you will probably see a decrease in the sales of ice cream retail stores, but I think that will be counter balanced by sales of store bought ice creams.”
However, she added: “A good portion of our focus will be global with a concentration in Asia.”
Both the privately held companies said they aim to work closely together to serve customers in the US, Canada, UK, China, Columbia, Iran, Pakistan, Cameroon and other parts of the world.
Russell Morley, president at Food Specialties, said: “We will unite the experience of flavor technology and dairy technology from both companies to deliver innovation and value added solutions for our customers.
“The partnership includes arrangements for cross sales, marketing promotion and proactive joint development projects, bringing new products to the market.
“With our combined research libraries and experienced food technologists we can demonstrate your creative ideas for you. We can quickly deliver taste panel samples and production formulas for your new products.”
Expanding on what is meant by value-added solutions, the Comax spokeswoman said: “We are giving our customers the whole package. There is less for the product developers to source because we are giving them a whole system.”
Euromonitor International’s growth forecast for the dairy market in Asian countries showed that between 2007 and 2012, Indonesia will see a 60 percent growth, Malaysia nine percent, Philippines 38 percent, Singapore 16 percent and Thailand 29 percent.
Joining forces
Earlier this year Comax joined with the nutrition provider FutureCeuticals Inc in a collaboration aimed at helping food manufacturers meet the challenge of unpleasant off-tastes in their healthy formulations.
Comax has also teamed with Socratic Technologies, a global web-based market research agency to develop the Concept Response Index which Comax said ensures that its concepts have been evaluated by consumers. This enables them to give our customers valuable consumer insight on the potential success and impact of its concepts.
The spokeswoman added: “I think more companies are willing to collaborate because it can open the door to many more opportunities.
“Collaborations allows for joint development, marketing promotion and cross sales.
“In today’s highly competitive markets it is always best to have more than less. The more we can offer our customers the better.”