National Starch Invests in European Culinary Centre

16/11/07 Global ingredient solutions provider, National Starch Food Innovation, has invested in a multi-million dollar culinary centre designed to streamline the NPD process for its customers. Located in Hamburg, Germany, the Food Creation Centre will comprise of a state-of-the-art development kitchen plus facilities for the analysis and sensory evaluation of new food concepts. Set to open later this year, the centre reinforces the company’s commitment to helping customers respond to demand for premium quality foods that deliver innovative textures and flavours.

This facility will be built alongside National Starch Food Innovation’s existing European Technical Centre, allowing food manufacturers to have a ‘hands on’ role in the NPD process. National Starch Food Innovation’s culinary and texture consultants will provide customers with the support they need to design, formulate and scale-up new foods and beverages with a valuable culinary influence.

Mike O’Riordan, customer solutions and product innovation director, Europe, National Starch Food Innovation, commented: “The food and beverage market is constantly evolving. To profit from the opportunities the current climate offers, food developers must respond rapidly to new trends. The Food Creation Centre is one way we can speed up the process of converting a culinary concept to a successful end product, allowing our customers to stay ahead of consumers’ changing preferences, as well as their competitors.”

The European Food Creation Centre will complement the Texture Centre of Excellence that is due to open in Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA, in 2008. Together, the purpose built venues reinforce National Starch Food Innovation’s global expertise in helping create culinary-inspired, everyday foods.