FDBusiness.com

International dairy co-operative FrieslandCampina has commenced construction of its new Innovation Centre in Wageningen in The Netherlands. The new building is due for completion in mid-2013. Property developer Hurks and FrieslandCampina are jointly investing Eur60 million in the complex.

The new building will house approximately 400 FrieslandCampina employees, giving them access to approximately 4,600 sq m of laboratories and areas for taste tests, a pilot plant covering 2,500 sq m, 3,800 sq m of facilities and 7,100 sq m of office space. The FrieslandCampina Innovation Centre will also accommodate a so-called Experience Centre, including an innovative kitchen and pilot bakery. Visitors and employees of FrieslandCampina from all over the world will come to the centre to taste, smell and feel products in an inspirational environment.

Cees ’t Hart, chief executive of Royal FrieslandCampina, comments: “Innovation plays an important role in our route2020 strategy. Creating innovations in consumer products, ingredients and processes is vital to help meet consumers’ needs and to add more value to the milk of our members. With the new Innovation Centre, we are developing a building to inspire our people that also offers state-of-the-art facilities. It will be located in the heart ofFoodValley, the international food knowledge centre.”