Developing, testing and perfecting bakery products, protein foods and packaging under realistic conditions: With its FoodHub Nordic in Vejle, MULTIVAC Denmark has created a state-of-the-art Food Center for the sector at the company’s new headquarters. Housed in an area covering 1,300 square metres, the company’s experts advise customers from the Nordic countries, on how to develop new food products and test them on a small scale, so that they are right for the market and appeal to consumers. The new FoodHub was officially opened at the end of June during an event for customers. Among the speakers were Jens Ejner Christensen, Mayor of Vejle, Dr Tobias Richter, Group President (CSO) of the MULTIVAC Group, Martin Petersen, Managing Director of MULTIVAC Denmark, and Peder Reijmers, Executive Vice President Subsidiary Operations at MULTIVAC.
“The new FoodHub Nordic is a unique Center of Excellence, providing specialists in food trends and the production of bakery and protein products, as well as experts in packaging development – everything under one roof. Our customers can therefore shorten the time required for market launches, and also present innovative food products to consumers, without having to adversely affect their actual production lines, by carrying out product development work on these lines,” said Martin Petersen, Managing Director of MULTIVAC Denmark.
Dr Tobias Richter, Group President (CSO) of the MULTIVAC Group added: “This site is of great strategic significance for the MULTIVAC Group. Firstly, because the Nordic region has a pioneering role in many areas – particularly when it comes to sustainability and new food concepts. And secondly, because here we are creating a focal Center of Excellence for the entire Nordic region. The new FoodHub will support our subsidiaries in developing new solutions jointly with their customers, and then bringing these to market more quickly.“
The Center of Excellence comprises six specialised laboratories, which cover the entire development process – from the first idea through to the prototype of the product and right up to its packaging. This provides an integrated development environment, in which new product ideas can be developed under real process conditions and in small production series.
The TrendLAB is where food trends and consumer perceptions are identified, as well as determining the requirements of the food sector and the relevant market developments. The ConceptLAB converts the trends and consumer perceptions into concrete product concepts, which meet the needs of customers and consumers, as well as promoting the growth of the particular food category. The BakeryLAB is where concepts for bread, biscuits or cakes are developed and tested under real production conditions. In the ProteinLAB it is possible to develop products made of meat, poultry, fish and plant-based alternatives right up to their final stage of production, as well as testing them under actual conditions. In the PackagingLAB the focus is on packaging development, the reduction in packaging materials and the optimisation of pack designs, as well as conducting pilot productions on a larger scale. And last but not least, practical training courses in the TrainingLAB reinforce the expertise of teams in all aspects of machines, processes and packaging.
Photo: MULTIVAC
