Arla Foods Ingredients open new innovation centre in Denmark

Arla Foods Ingredients (a subsidiary of Arla Foods)  has opened a new Innovation Centre, which it says aims to step change cutting edge technology and the development of new solutions within a wide range of specialised dairy and whey ingredients to meet the fast-growing global demand for nutritious and sustainable food.

The Innovation Centre will be the new home for the company’s own international scientists and innovators and will bridge the gap for world class research, clinical trials and collaboration across the globe.

Globally, AFI claims the specialised ingredients market is a 10 billion euro business, and it is expected to grow at a high pace within the coming years. With the new innovation centre, AFI says it is able to further tap into this growth by intensifying its innovation efforts and taking its business to the next level both within its core markets in Europe, China and the Americas – and beyond.

Based in Nr Vium in Denmark and with a total size of 9,000m2 , the new Innovation Centre will be home to up to 100 scientists and technicians, who will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including laboratories for clinical trials and a pilot plant and office spaces. Here, they will cover all aspects of research and development within whey and milk – from advanced separation technology to improved functionality and shelf-life.

“I am very proud and have been looking forward to this day when we open our new Arla Foods Ingredients Innovation Centre. It will deliver a huge boost to our research and development capabilities, and we’re incredibly excited about the possibilities it offers,” said Niels Østergaard, Vice President Research & Development at Arla Foods Ingredients.

“Working with our scientific and industry partners, we’ll be able to undertake more research, embark on ambitious new projects, and innovate to tackle some of the world’s most urgent food and nutrition challenges.”

The Innovation Centre is located right next to Danmark Protein – AFI’s flagship production plant that produces whey protein concentrate and lactose products, including for infant nutrition. The manufacturer claims the location is key for success as it closes the gap between innovation and full-scale production.

“It was vital for us for the Innovation Centre to be at the heart of our supply chain. This is the closest to the highest quality raw materials that it could possibly be, enabling us to fine-tune ideas and scale them up in one quick and streamlined process. This is truly living up to our purpose of delivering the wonders of whey,” added Østergaard/

The Centre is also designed to create synergies between leading university researchers, PhD students and industry professionals. Partners will include academic institutions in Denmark (like the Copenhagen and Aarhus universities) and overseas (including UC Davis), as well as technology suppliers and Arla Foods Ingredients’ customers in the food and nutrition industries.