Why an allergen free factory matters
Pick up almost any packet in the supermarket and you'll find a line near the ingredients: "May contain traces of milk, nuts or soy." For most shoppers it's background noise. For someone with a food allergy, it's often the reason they put the product back.
If you're building a plant based or free from brand, where your product is made matters as much as what's in it.
The problem with shared factories
Most food factories make many products on the same lines. Cleaning between runs helps, but it can't always remove every trace of an allergen. That's why many brands add a precautionary "may contain" statement, even when the allergen isn't in the recipe.
For a dairy free cheese or a vegan dip, that warning undercuts the whole point of the product. The shoppers who need it most can't trust it.
What allergen free means in practice
At our factory in Glen Eden, Auckland, there's no dairy, gluten, nuts or soy on site. No animal products either. That isn't a cleaning procedure. It's a rule about what's allowed through the door.
That means:
Every ingredient comes from an approved supplier and is checked against our allergen rules
There's no changeover risk between products, because no product carries those allergens
Your label can be simpler and more honest
Why it's good for your brand
You reach more shoppers. People with allergies, and the parents shopping for them, read labels closely. A clean label earns their trust and their loyalty.
Your claims are easier to back up. If your product says it's free from something, you have to be able to prove it. That's far easier when the allergen never enters the building.
Foodservice and schools take notice. Cafes, caterers and early childhood centres need options they can serve to everyone. Allergen free products make their job easier.
Export doors open. Combine allergen free production with halal certification and your product is ready for export markets across Asia.
What to ask a manufacturer
If allergen control matters to your brand, ask any manufacturer you're considering:
Which allergens are handled anywhere on site?
How are incoming ingredients checked?
Do you use precautionary allergen statements on your own products, and why?
Which certifications do you hold, and who verifies them?
The answers will tell you quickly whether a facility is right for your product. For the rules on allergen labelling, see MPI's guidance on allergen declarations.
Looking for an allergen free manufacturer? We make plant based dips, spreads, desserts and sauces in a halal certified factory with no dairy, gluten, nuts or soy on site. Talk to us
