Kellogg’s has opened a new food innovation centre at its Trafford Park factory in Manchester.
The Culinary and Sensory Centre, which was officially opened by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, comprises a packaging design lab, culinary kitchen, sensory hub and small-scale cereal factory.
It is the result of a £500k investment and 18 months’ development, and forms part of the business’ decade-long plan to “improve its foods so they are better for people, the community and the planet”.
One of the first projects to come out of trials at the hub is the recent reduction of salt in Special K. Kellogg’s reduced the salt content by an average of 19.8% across the range.
In addition to reformulation efforts, the space will serve as an innovation centre, where Kellogg’s experts can trial new cereals, test new ingredients, experiment with recipes and “invent the foods of the future”.
The inclusion of the packaging design lab would allow the business to trial new sustainable packaging options as part of its commitment to transitioning to 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by the end of 2025.
Kellogg’s UK VP Chris Silcock said it was “incredibly exciting to be opening a hub of food innovation” on the year of the business’ 100th anniversary.
“The space will be the source of new products, innovative packaging solutions and reformulation – that will not only be rolled out across the UK but will be seen by consumers across Europe.”
Kellogg’s senior director for R&D Jason Billingham said the new centre would “allow us to innovate and create in ways we’ve never done before”.
“It’s something we’ve been working towards for a long time, so it’s great to now see it come to life.”
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