Innovation center

Vegan Egg White

© The Every Co.
Fermentation

UK Government Invests £1.4M to Expand Food Standards Agency’s Precision Fermentation Expertise

The UK government has announced it is investing £1.4 million in a new innovation hub that aims to expand the expertise of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in new technologies such as precision fermentation. Precision fermentation involves the use of microorganisms such as yeast to make ingredients like whey protein without the use of animals. The process has been used for decades to produce ingredients such as rennet for cheesemaking, and in recent years there has been increasing interest in its potential as a method of producing alternative proteins. No precision fermentation dairy products are currently on the market in the UK, but several applications are reportedly being evaluated by the FSA as part of the regulatory process. The new innovation hub, funded by the …

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© ALFA LAVAL
Manufacturing & Technology

Alfa Laval’s New Food Innovation Centre to Focus on Protein Solutions for a Sustainable Food Future

Alfa Laval has announced the establishment of a new Food Innovation Centre in Copenhagen, Denmark, to drive innovation in food production and reduce the environmental impact of the global food system. The facility, set to open in 2027, will focus on advancing protein processing solutions and supporting the development of next-generation and conventional food technologies. Transforming the food system The global food system accounts for a third of greenhouse gas emissions, consumes 70% of freshwater, and is a leading driver of biodiversity loss. Lars Dithmer, President of Alfa Laval Business Unit Food Systems, emphasizes the company’s role in addressing these challenges: “With our range of technologies, solutions and competences, Alfa Laval is in a strong position to enable food and beverage producers to take a …

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Ferments de Futur infographic

© Ferments de Futur

Fermentation

Ferments du Futur Opens New Innovation Centre for Future Food in France

Ferments du Futur is a unique European public-private partnership to accelerate research and development in the field of healthy and sustainable food of the future through fermentation technologies. Two years after its official launch in December 2022, Ferments du Futur has opened an innovation centre in the heart of the Paris-Saclay science and innovation cluster. The state-of-the-art centre is open to all and will help accelerate research and innovation in one of the most promising areas for the future of food. The project was made possible through the work of dozens of action-orientated public and private partners. Focus groups, multi-year meetings and many informal discussions helped build strong momentum for action that identified key areas where innovation should be accelerated and scientific and technological breakthroughs …

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Givaudan, MISTA, and Bühler, three top players in the food industry, reveal the establishment of a cutting-edge extrusion hub at the MISTA Innovation Center in San Francisco.

Inauguration of new extrusion hub at MISTA Innovation Center in San Francisco - Image provided
Manufacturing & Technology

Givaudan, MISTA, and Bühler Launch New Extrusion Hub for Plant-Based Products in USA

Givaudan, MISTA, and Bühler, three top players in the food industry, announce the launch of a cutting-edge extrusion hub at the MISTA Innovation Center in San Francisco, USA. The new facility advances MISTA’s capabilities in driving food innovation, while Givaudan and Bühler have teamed up to provide a platform for conducting product development trials for extruded products.  The hub features a 30mm twin-screw Bühler extruder capable of high and low-moisture extrusion, making it suitable for various products, including plant-based meats, cereals, and snacks. According to the announcement, the facility’s extruding equipment is larger than benchtop extruders and offers a high output capacity of 50 kilograms per hour. By leveraging these capabilities, companies can translate their trials into full-scale production equipment. At the same time, they …

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Swiss technology group Bühler has unveiled a new food innovation hub in Uzwil, Switzerland-

© Bühler

Manufacturing & Technology

Bühler Unveils Swiss Food Innovation Hub Featuring Protein Center for Plant-Based Foods

Swiss technology Bühler Group has unveiled a new food innovation hub in Uzwil, Switzerland, to develop sustainable foods, including plant-based meat. The food innovation hub comprises four new Application & Training Centers (ATCs): Flavor, Food, Protein, and Energy Recovery, joined by existing Chocolate, Extrusion, Pasta, and Grain (under construction) ATCs. Bühler emphasizes that all its ATCs connect the entire food production value chain, offering customers the ideal environment to “master market changes” and innovate. “In this world where requirements are changing so fast, customers need flexibility and creativity to adapt their products addressing key issues such as sustainability, the use of local raw materials, healthy diets, and affordability,” says Johannes Wick, CEO of Grains & Food at Bühler Group.  Innovation for plant-based foods Operated in partnership with …

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Ai Zhi Wei oat latte

© Carrefour Taiwan

Politics & Law

Taiwanese Government Establishes Plant Milk Research and Development Center

Taiwan’s Food Industry Research and Development Institute (FIRDI) has established a Plant Milk Research and Development Center to develop plant-based milk products in partnership with the drink company Ai Zhi Wei, as reported by Taiwan News.  Other goals of the new center include the improvement of Taiwan’s supply chain of raw and semi-processed agricultural for plant-based and exploring biotechnology to develop protein-rich milk alternatives with enhanced nutritional value. Ai Zhi Wei, owned by the Nice Group, is a famous brand in the country that offers beverages, including a wide range of cold teas and oat, peanut, soy, and walnut milk dairy products. At the innovation center, the company will combine its extensive experience in the beverage industry with the scientists at FIRDI to create innovative and nutritious plant-based milk products …

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JBS has commenced construction of Brazil's first research facility focused on cultivated meat.

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Company News

Meat Giant JBS Begins Construction on $62M Innovation Centre for Cultivated Meat

JBS, the largest meat processing company in the world, announces it has commenced construction of Brazil’s first research facility focused on food biotechnology — the JBS Biotech Innovation Centre. Located at Sapiens Parque innovation hub in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, and scheduled to open at the end of 2024, the center aims to be a model facility to produce cultivated meat efficiently, scalable, and at competitive prices. “As a global leader in protein production, it is our responsibility to be at the forefront of foodtech,” says Jerson Nascimento Jr., global supply and innovation director of JBS. $ 62 million According to JBS, the Biotech Innovation Centre will require approximately $62 million in investment over three phases. In the first phase, the meat giant will invest $22 million …

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Planteneers team in the USA

Planteneers' North America team - Image courtesy of Plantenners
Company News

Planteneers Expands into US Market with New Office and Customer Center in Aurora, lllinois

German food tech company Planteneers announces it has opened a new office in Aurora, Illinois, USA, in response to the increasing demand for plant-based products in the region. Additionally, the company announces that it has begun construction on a new Customer Excellence Center, also located in Aurora, set to open next summer. The center will be a dedicated space for addressing customer-specific requirements in the US market. Strategic sales leader Gretchen Moon will join the company as VP of commercial operations for North America and will lead the new team focusing on sales, distribution, marketing, and product development, says Planteneers. “At our new location with production, R&D, and the upcoming Customer Center, we can address customer-specific requirements for the US market even better,” comments Moon. Innovations with …

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ADM's new innovation center in Manchester, the UK

Image courtesy of ADM
Company News

ADM Opens New Center in the UK for Innovations in Alt Protein and Other Foods

Agribusiness leader ADM (NYSE: ADM) has opened an innovation center in the UK for alt protein and other categories such as sweet, dairy, alternative dairy, and beverages. Located in Manchester, the Customer Creation and Innovation Center (CCIC) will be a UK hub fostering collaborations with food manufacturers, brands, and food service to create novel products. The 800-square-meter facility includes a state-of-the-art kitchen, a chef’s presentation theater, and flavor development lab, where ADM’s team will explore and expand its culinary capabilities and solutions into developing food innovations for the UK.  Expanding in alt protein At CCIC, ADM will offer its expertise (technology, ingredients, and solutions) for formulating and developing plant-based offerings that meet consumers’ high sensory expectations and health demands, said the company in the announcement.  Other ADM initiatives in …

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Roquette opens new food innovation center

Image courtesy of Roquette
Company News

Roquette Opens €4.5M Food Innovation Centre: “We See This Opening as an Innovation Boost for the Global Food Sector”

Global leader in plant-based ingredients, Roquette celebrated yesterday the launch of a new €4.5 million food innovation centre in Lestrem, France.  As demand for new, healthier, and more sustainable diets grows, Roquette’s Food Innovation Center will foster innovation and accelerate the launch of novel products. The center will be a “key part” of the company’s R&D global network and a unique place to develop a more collaborative relationship with customers, Roquette said in the announcement. “The ultimate goal of the Food Innovation Center is to partner with food industry players to speed up innovation, from the earliest stage of product development. To ensure this is possible, the teams can rely upon a worldwide network, as well as in-house expertise, co-development sessions, and technical training. The site …

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AKK new innovation center

Image courtesy of AKK
Company News

AAK Launches Netherlands Innovation Center to Develop Better Plant-Based Foods

AKK, a global producer of value-adding vegetable oils known for its Making Better Happen slogan, announces the launch of its new “state-of-the-art” Netherlands Innovation Center of Excellence, created to accelerate the development of better plant-based foods.  A celebration to mark the Innovation Center of Excellence opening will take place on 28 March. Invited customers, partners, and investors will have the opportunity to see the new center located close to AKK’s Zaandijk production facilities in the Netherlands. Through R&D and collaborations, AAK’s team will work with customers from across the globe at the new center’s culinary, sensory, and pilot plant areas to create innovative plant-based food products and bring them more quickly to market.  Niall Sands, president of commercial development and innovation at AKK said: “AAK …

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