Plant-based oils and fats supplier AAK has constructed a state-of-the-art innovation centre in the Netherlands.

The new centre for the development of plant-based foods is close to the company’s existing production facilities in Zaandijk, the Netherlands.

The site’s culinary, sensory and pilot plant facilities will provide the setting for AAK teams to work with customers to create innovative plant-based food products, accelerating their entry into the market.

Niall Sands, AAK’s president of commercial development and innovation, said: “AAK is a multi-oil ingredient house, well positioned to cater to the increasing demand for healthier and more sustainable plant-based foods. 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.

He continued: “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 centre, relating to the taste, nutrition, sustainability, and functionality of plant-based foods and ingredients.”

The announcement follows AAK’s acquisition of lecithin compound business BIC Ingredients in 2021.

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