French vegetable purées and fresh soups specialist Créaline has invested EUR5m (US$6.4m) in a new plant in Lessay, in Normandy.

The 4,500 sqm facility takes the company’s production capacity to 10,000 litres of soup and 15 tonnes of vegetable purée a day and could lead to the creation of around 20 jobs.

Créaline’s main customers are supermarket outlets but it is looking to target the foodservice and contract catering sectors, as well as developing organic products.

Créaline, which is owned by Florette, itself part of co-operative group Agrial, posted a 2009 turnover of EUR10.6m and this forecasted to rise to EUR15m in 2015.