Specialist real estate investment company Improvon has broken ground on a 30,054 square metre build-to-suit manufacturing facility for Cranbrook Flavours at Lordsview Industrial Park, signalling growing demand for specialised industrial space in the food manufacturing sector.The development will consolidate manufacturing, laboratories, research and development, warehousing, distribution and office functions into a single integrated facility, with completion targeted for April 30 2027 under a 10-year lease agreement.Cranbrook Flavours is an independently owned African flavour manufacturer that produces flavour systems, seasonings and ingredient solutions for food and beverage producers across Africa and global markets.“The investment comes at an important point in the company’s growth journey, and our current operations have reached a point where the next stage of growth needs a purpose-built environment,” Cranbrook MD Kevin Johnstone said.The new facility would allow the business to expand output, improve production efficiency, strengthen research and development capacity and introduce new technologies into its African operations while remaining close to its existing base, Johnstone said.Improvon CEO Stefano Contardo said the project reflects a broader shift in industrial development strategy.“Cranbrook’s operation is technically demanding, and the facility has been designed around that reality from the start, with development, engineering and operational teams working closely to ensure the building delivers the scale, flexibility and technical infrastructure needed for growth,” Contardo said.The facility will feature a 24m apex height to accommodate large-scale spray drying systems, segregated production zones for sweet and savoury products, laboratories, cold storage, flammable goods handling and controlled manufacturing environments.The project highlights a broader trend in South Africa’s industrial property market toward bespoke, high-specification facilities tailored to advanced manufacturing requirements.Improvon has more than 1.3-million square metres of logistics and industrial space developed across sub-Saharan Africa and a land bank exceeding 600,000 square metres.