Open bar: Roquette outsources lab to food supplements makers
French supplier Roquette is putting its R&D supplements facility up for rent by any party seeking to develop food supplements and food products – whether they are its own customers or not.
Olaf Häusler PhD, a pharmacist in Roquette’s pharmaceutical and cosmetics business unit, told NutraIngredients why the traditionally conservative French firm was opening up its R&D labs in this way – with a maximum cost of €2000 per day.
“We have more than 35 years experience with pharmaceutical and food applications – this means we have a broad spectrum of applications,” Häusler said, noting the company had six labs in Europe, the US and China.
Roquette’s says it does not oblige any party who uses the facilities to work with its own portfolio of ingredients.
“They could decide to do whatever they like to do with our equipment. We will give them people to operate the machines because they are skilled and then the customer could decide whatever he likes. I call it open bar.”
“It is for teaching. It is for testing. It is for know-how transferbecause a lot of people want to learn from other industries. We are requested to make food products for the pharmaceutical industry and sometimes we are doing pharma applications for the food industry.”
Aside from the rental income, Häusler said Roquette benefitted from the new arrangement by helping the industry “become better” and opening relations with potential new customers.
