RENO, NEV. — RIBUS, Inc. (Rice Ingredient Business United States) opened its production facility in Sparks, Nev., earlier this month. The facility will produce clean label ingredients for human food and pet food in an effort to meet increasing consumer demand for natural products, according to the company.

Founded in 1992, RIBUS produces plant-based, non-GMO, natural, organic and gluten-free ingredients for the food, beverage, pet nutrition and supplement industries. The company was previously headquartered in St. Louis but relocated to Sparks earlier this year.

Inside Ribus' new ingredient produciton facility in NevadaSource: RIBUS Inc.

RIBUS’ new production facility spans over 15,000 square feet, is organic and Kosher certified, and has Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Halal and SQF certifications pending. The plant is solely owned and operated by RIBUS.

“Having our own plant gives us increased capacity and control over making changes that are needed in the marketplace,” said Steve Peirce, co-founder and president of RIBUS. “Some of these changes may include different package sizes, different particle sizes and new, innovative ingredients.

“RIBUS is dedicated to fulfilling additional demand to meet customer needs,” Peirce added. “With this new production facility, we are perfectly positioned for 300%+ incremental production capacity.”

According to RIBUS, the facility was constructed amidst increased demand for its ingredients, including Nu-FLOW and others. The company’s Nu-FLOW ingredient is made from rice hulls and serves as a synthetics replacer. The ingredient can help with anti-caking and flow issues, offering processors a more natural alternative that meets consumer demands for more natural products. Nu-FLOW can replace silicone dioxide, tri-calcium phosphate (talc) and other synthetic anti-caking agents.

As well as producing Nu-FLOW, the new plant will provide RIBUS with opportunities to create more clean label ingredients and expand its current portfolio, which includes Nu-RICE, Nu-BAKE, Nu-FLAC, Nu-MAG, Nu-Bind and Nu-SORP.

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