Stefan Hake, CEO, GNT

Invest: spoke with Stefan Hake, CEO of GNT USA, about the company’s expansion in Gaston County, the growing demand for natural food colors, and the importance of agricultural partnerships. “We are excited to put the farm back into food,” Hake said.

What is your assessment of the current business climate for manufacturers in Gaston County?

It is a manufacturing-friendly environment, and that is part of the reason why we are here. We selected Gaston County in 2020, and it is hard to believe we have now been here for five years.

We are close to the airport, which is important for traveling to see customers and bringing people in. The region also offers different lifestyle opportunities for employees. If someone wants to live in the country, experience the city, or live somewhere in between, that is possible here.

People make things happen, so you need a strong workforce. Manufacturing is really in the DNA of Gaston County, going back to the textile days. Even though much of that industry left, you can still feel that culture here. People are excited to build something, and that is important.

Manufacturing also requires strong infrastructure, including water, energy, and gas, and those resources are available here.

How important were infrastructure and logistics assets in your decision to invest in Gaston County?

Donny Hicks from economic development is the gold standard of economic development. We were the first company to move into Apple Creek Corporate Park, and a big reason was the support we received during the site selection process.

The team told us they had a great plan for another industrial park and said that if we came, they would build it. At first, it was just open land, and then suddenly an entire industrial park was there.

They were able to answer all of our difficult questions, including water capacity, utilities, and energy infrastructure. That played a major role in our decision to locate here.

How competitive has the labor market become, and what are you doing to attract and retain talent?

The labor market is competitive in today’s world. We are fortunate because a large part of our workforce has advanced degrees, especially in food science and product development. We were excited to see that talent was available here and that people were willing to move to the region.

We also have a strong group of operators. We believe in creating an environment where employees can succeed. We offer full healthcare benefits and retirement plans, and we make people part of the organization by including them in our long-term planning. It is not just a job, but a career for them.

That culture has been part of our success.

How has growing attention on ingredient transparency and synthetic dyes shifted the industry?

We are that little thing that you eat and drink and probably never thought about, but here we are. We incorporated in the United States in 1996, and the idea of making products from fruits and vegetables that can deliver colorful applications has always been central to what we do.

There is a growing trend toward removing artificial colors, and consumers are more aware of what they are putting in their bodies. That aligns well with what we have always done.

The exciting part is that we are part of the everyday American diet. Our goal is to contribute to products people enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

We collaborate closely with farms to grow our raw materials, and that is one reason North Carolina has been such a great fit for us. We are excited to put the farm back into food. We are not making artificial colors. The products come from nature, and then we process them into forms that can be used in food and beverages.

We also have an application lab here because products on the shelf need to look consistent. We work closely with customers during product development to help make their products better.

What are food and beverage companies asking for most today?

We work with all the major food and beverage companies, although we always maintain confidentiality around formulas and applications.

Many companies are now trying to convert products that have used artificial colors for years into naturally colored versions. Consumers know exactly how those products should look and taste, so brands want to make sure they still deliver the same experience.

That is where they lean on us. We do the testing and development work to make sure products still look and taste the same when natural colors are used.

If you visited our application labs, you would see us working with every type of food and beverage imaginable. We also have chefs on staff who help develop innovative new products.

How are sustainability and supply chain reliability shaping your long-term strategy?

Supply chain reliability has become a major topic. We believe in vertical integration, so we work with farmers located within roughly 200 to 300 miles of our facility.

We build long-term relationships with growers and work with them on seed development and cultivation methods to optimize color quality. We also have an agriculture team that travels throughout the region to support those partnerships.

North Carolina has been outstanding in that regard. Leaders like Donny Hicks and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler have been strong partners for us.

There is also a lot of complexity behind the scenes. When you work with nature, you have to manage weather and other variables, so trusted long-term partnerships are critical. We manage that complexity so our customers receive consistency.

How do you see technology and automation changing manufacturing operations?

Technology and automation can help tremendously. There are physical tasks in manufacturing that become difficult over decades of work. If a robot can handle repetitive lifting, that is a positive development, and then we need skilled people who can maintain those systems.

Farming has also become high-tech. Exciting technologies are helping us grow more consistent products.

Still, people remain essential. We hire many food scientists, and NC State has a strong food science program. Those employees help develop ingredients and improve products so our customers can use them effectively and consumers enjoy them.

What are GNT USA’s top priorities over the next few years?

Our top priority is expansion. We are preparing to break ground soon and continue investing in the business. As a private company, we are careful with growth, but this next phase of investment will be around $120 million.

We are focused on expanding manufacturing capacity, strengthening our farming capabilities, and helping customers convert from artificial to natural colors.

We looked at Gaston County six years ago, and now we have five years of good experience. We believe this is only the beginning, which is why we are continuing to expand.

No matter what happens with AI or other technologies, people still have to eat. The food industry is steady, and we feel good about what we do.