Givaudan reveals the Nordic Experience Center in Sweden, which addresses local F&B trends
19 Nov 2021 — Givaudan meets the market analysis needs of customers in the Nordic region with the opening of the Givaudan Nordic Experience Center in Malmö, Sweden.
The Swiss taste house says that the new facility “unlocks more opportunities for co-creation with Nordic customers”, helps to accelerate innovation and improve the company’s ability to tailor food and drink to local trends and preferences.
Nordic food trends in focus
Speaks to Food Ingredients First, Jonas Lellky, commercial director of Northern Europe at Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing, points out that the trends in the Nordic region are similar to other parts of Europe.
“We see consumers looking for healthier products that improve their well-being, such as products that have lower fat, salt and sugar – but still taste good. [Environmental] Sustainability is also a key focus and we see that more and more people want to buy from local producers and enjoy food that can be produced in a more planet-friendly way. ”
Like the rest of the world, Givaudan sees a change in the Nordic region towards plant-based products – both meat analogues and dairy products.
“Sweden is at the forefront of maturation and development of both plant-based meat and dairy products,” he states.
Lellky believes that even though the significant trends are similar, the local taste preferences are quite typical of the Nordic countries.
Notably, it is a high level of innovation activity in this region that is accelerating, Lellky explains. “It is also visible in an active start-up scene,” he adds.
“Along with this, there are many company headquarters close to our Nordic Experience Center, which means that we can meet both local Nordic needs and bring in our experts from across the region to support export-focused innovation.”
Nordic Experience Center provides professional lab space and state-of-the-art equipment for product development within Givaudan’s entire Taste & Wellbeing portfolio and all product segments – from sweet goods, pastries and dairy products to salty foods, snacks and beverages.
It also includes a culinary demo kitchen, a creative space for innovation sessions with customers and space for Givaudan’s commercial and technical team.
Relevance for regional relations
Givaudan’s business strategy for 2025 includes a focus on deepening market coverage in high-growing markets such as the Nordic region.
Lellky further specifies how Malmö as a location for the new facility is important for its regional connections.
“It is close to the Öresund Bridge, which connects Denmark and Sweden and the public transport hub. In addition, our new facility is based in The Edge, an elegant modern building with world-class amenities, which is perfect for our new facility and technology. ”
He also emphasizes that Givaudan “develops from a taste house to a complete experience provider.”
“At our new facility, we work across all types of product segments within F&B, and we can offer the entire Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing portfolio. As customers increasingly strive to differentiate their products, we actively collaborate with them to help them develop differentiated and consumer-relevant products. “
“Bringing these facilities closer to our customers enables us to more effectively identify opportunities, gain a deeper understanding of customer challenges and accelerate the development of new products, from prototype production to production,” he laments.
With its extensive portfolio spanning flavors, plants and natural colors, Lellky considers the company “uniquely placed in the industry.”
In other new developments, Givaudan has expanded its global protein innovation network with a new Protein Hub at its flagship Zurich Innovation Center in Kemptthal, Switzerland.
By Elizabeth Green
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