Hope Foods, the Louisville, Colo.-based producer of Hope Hummus, established a new business unit—Hope Fresh—to bring the shelf-life extension and food Avure Hope Foods HPP linesafety technology to the broader food processing community.

In March, Hope Fresh became the exclusive Avure Technologies-certified tolling partner in Colorado, installing the QFP-100L 600 model and signing an order for a second, larger press—the high-capacity Avure 350L system. Among all the options, Hope Foods chose the high-pressure processing (HPP) route because it seemed to be the only solution that met shelf-life goals while maintaining the integrity of product taste, texture and nutrition.

“HPP practically tripled the shelf life of our Hope Hummus product line,” says Morgan McArthur, head of HPP business development. “In addition, it makes our product safer and enhances our capabilities. With our launch into the East Coast this summer, it is the key to our growth into a national brand.”

Hope Foods opened a 58,000-square-foot facility in the Colorado Tech Center to house its HPP operations.

“As the value proposition of HPP continues to expand, it is very gratifying to have a technology that both meets consumer demand for safer, more healthful eating while creating strong new business opportunities through the tolling model,” says Matt Rutherford, senior vice president of business development and global sales for Avure Technologies, Franklin, Tenn.

To learn more about this and other HPP-related technologies and trends, check out the Food Safety section of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ September 2013 issue.