Clextral: A vision for smart, scalable snacking and food solutions in Asia

CLEXTRAL, a global leader in twin-screw extrusion technology showcased its latest innovations to the food and equipment processing industries at ProPak Asia 2025. Delivering advanced, high-performance solutions for food, feed, and biomass processing, the French company combines decades of engineering expertise with a firm commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency. It supports customers worldwide through technical centers, R&D collaborations with numerous partners around the world, and dedicated service teams – enabling manufacturers to develop value-added products tailored to evolving market demands.

For this feature, we spoke with Camille Challard, Director Asia Pacific at Clextral who oversees the company’s Asia-Pacific operations, driving growth and customer success across the region. Having lived and worked in France, Australia, and now Vietnam, Mr. Challard brings a global perspective shaped by a strong focus on sustainable technologies, innovation, and building collaborative networks across industries.

Camille Challard, Director Asia Pacific at Clextral

What strategic role does Southeast Asia play in your global expansion plan, and how is Clextral strengthening its presence and partnerships in the region?

Southeast Asia is a key strategic priority market for Clextral, driven by its growing middle class, dynamic human food and animal feed industries and strong demand for value-added processing.  We are expanding technical support teams and spare parts hubs in Southeast Asia to enhance service responsiveness, and we are establishing training partnerships and short-courses with local universities and food research institutes. These initiatives reinforce our commitment to long-term, localized engagement with producers across the region.

We are also making long-term investments in our Vietnamese office to establish it as a pivotal subsidiary in Asia, a region that represents a major growth opportunity for the agri-food industry.

How is Clextral adapting its product portfolio to serve the priorities of Asian markets?

Clextral invests in local R&D and develops technical partnership across Asia-Pacific, including key collaborations with CSIRO in Australia, Nurasa and Singapore Food Agency, and leading Thai universities such as Kasetsart University.

This approach allows us to develop formulations using regional grains and plant proteins such as rice, sorghum, lentils, and mung beans. Our extrusion lines can produce protein-rich snacks tailored to local tastes, ensuring our solutions align with evolving market demands.

What innovations were introduced at ProPak Asia 2025, and how are they advancing the shift toward sustainable food production?

At ProPak Asia 2025, Clextral introduced the new range of BCeco extruders, a streamlined and locally manufactured solution designed to expand and boost food production in Asia. Based on the proven BC series, operating in over 100 countries, the BCeco maintains the same screw elements and barrel geometry to ensure high-quality output while reducing operational costs. This innovation highlights Clextral’s commitment to sustainability, cost-efficiency which is critical in fast-developing countries, and supporting the region’s growing food industry. Clextral delivers cutting-edge technology, proven expertise, and decades of experience; all at a competitive and affordable cost.

The BCeco is a compact, energy-efficient and versatile twin screw extrusion system designed for the production of multiple applications and a wide range of products

The Galaxy technology is designed to meet the needs of Asian manufacturers producing alternative and complementary proteins. It enables the production of soft, fibrous textures with varied fiber orientation, ideal for whole-cut meat substitutes that closely mimic traditional meat.  Its advanced design integrates a rotating inner axle and precise thermoregulated zones to ensure consistent, high-capacity processing.

Enhanced thermal management and automation significantly improve energy efficiency, safety, and overall production reliability, empowering manufacturers to scale sustainably while delivering authentic, high-quality plant-based products that meet regional consumer preferences. This breakthrough technology can be readily added to an existing extrusion unit as a complement to the conventional static die, providing greater flexibility in raw materials, recipes, and desired textures.

What key trends are driving Clextral’s R&D pipeline, and how is the company preparing to lead in areas like AI-enabled optimized extrusion?

Clextral’s R&D focuses on clean label, fortified, and healthier snacking trends, supporting manufacturers with the development of innovative, locally adapted products. We serve a broad range of applications, from micro-aquafeed and pet treats to low-calorie cereals and expanding into green markets such as biomass processing, pulp and paper. At the same time, we are advancing AI-enabled extrusion systems to simplify and predict maintenance, use more connected tools and deliver data-driven, productive solutions for all the applications we serve.

Are there new features or services to help regional producers scale up their snacking production?

Clextral offers a comprehensive Upgrading Catalogue to help producers optimize existing equipment and processes. This includes high-performance plug-and-play peripheral equipment, modernization kits, and clip-on modules to expand capacity and improve efficiency.  Our clients invest progressively, growing their business while expanding their product range.

Supported by Clextral Services’ technical expertise, these solutions enable producers to maintain high product quality while responding to the competitive demands of the snacking market and diversifying their portfolios.