AAK, an ingredient supplier specializing in value-adding specialty fats and oils, created a state-of-the-art Innovation Center of Excellence to develop plant-based foods close to its Zaandijk production facilities in the Netherlands.
Overlooking the picturesque setting of Zaanse Schans, the new center with its culinary, sensory, and pilot plant facilities, will provide the perfect setting for AAK teams to work with customers from across the globe, to create new and innovative plant-based food products and bring them more quickly to market.
“AAK is a Multi-oil Ingredient House, well positioned to cater to the increasing demand for healthier and more sustainable plant-based foods,” said Niall Sands, AAK’s president commercial development and innovation. “We have renovated a riverside warehouse to create a purpose-built facility where we can work with our customers, co-develop new ideas and test them in our pilot plants and culinary kitchen, obtaining results and feedback quickly to support product development and iterative prototyping. We believe successive incremental product improvements are key to the long-term success of the plant-based food categories.”
“Work on a wide range of insight-driven projects and technologies is already underway in the center, relating to the taste, nutrition, sustainability, and functionality of plant-based foods and ingredients. We are excited by their potential to make a positive difference to our customers’ products and processes as we strive to make better happen from plant to brand.”
A celebration to mark the Innovation Center of Excellence opening will be held on March 28. Invited customers, partners, and investors will have the opportunity to see the new facility and hear about AAK’s work in the field.
