AUSTRALIA -Irish-based taste and nutrition company, Kerry has announced that it will develop a purpose-built food technology and innovation centre in Queensland, Australia in an effort to bolster food innovation in the region.

 According to a statement from the company, the facility will include pilot plants, laboratories and tasting facilities in order to bring the end-to-end food innovation cycle under one roof.

As a result, Kerry hopes to reduce time to market for new products and boost its capacity to drive food innovation in the region.

In addition to being a world-class research and development center, Kerry notes that the new facility in Brisbane will also serve as the new headquarters for the company in Australia and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, the Kerry Australia and New Zealand Commercial Connect Centre in Sydney will retain a specialist research and development applications hub.

Commenting on the news, Christine Giuliano, general manager, Kerry Australia and New Zealand, said: “[The facility] will bring the benefits of our global technologies to local food and beverage producers – supporting regional industry development.

“Our team at the new centre will be able to leverage Kerry’s R&D network around the world, as well as global insights, market knowledge, and culinary and applications expertise to customise solutions that ultimately deliver exciting products that resonate with the local market.”

Kerry’s new facility is supported by the Queensland Government’s Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund as it is expected to pave an economical and efficient path for commercialisation of new products.

Giuliano notes that the center will particularly focus on  Kerry’s global innovation initiatives in health and wellness, sustainability, convenience, affordability and premiumization.

The centre will also create employment opportunities for graduates through the company’s graduate programme and provide placements via partnerships with local universities.

Kerry recently announced that it is investing €30 million to build a second production facility in Indonesia, as it looks to expand its offering for customers in Southeast Asia.

Last month, Kerry announced that talks over the potential sale of some of its dairy assets to Ireland’s Kerry Co-Operative Creameries have been suspended.

The company had been in discussions with the co-op about a potential transaction which would have seen the legacy business, which includes the popular Dairygold, Charleville and Denny food brands, spun out in a joint venture with the co-op with a potential value of some €600 million.

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