Symrise to Open R&D Center in the Netherlands

Agri/food firm seeks collaboration at Unilever Foods Innovation Center in Wageningen

The German global agri/food solutions group Symrise is establishing an R&D center at the Unilever Foods Innovation Center on the Wageningen Campus in the Netherlands. By being on site at Unilever and by working together with scientists of the internationally renowned Wageningen University & Research, Symrise aims to develop innovative culinary foods at a much faster pace.

Creative collaboration by Symrise and Unilever

Symrise develops, produces and sells fragrance, flavoring and food ingredients. In the past, it developed products in its own facilities but it will now work together with Unilever in a more integrated approach. The new state of the art creative center will comprise a flavor creation lab, an application kitchen and collaboration rooms that cover 120 square meters.

Symrise is sharing its knowledge

“This approach will enable the companies to optimally integrate and develop new products together in a creative and efficient manner,” says Heinrich Schaper, President Flavor Division at Symrise. “Furthermore, the site will make it possible for us to leverage the expertise of the best Agri-Agro researchers from around the world.”

Wageningen University & Research is recognized globally as the top institution for education and research in the areas of agriculture and nutrition, in which it possesses a rich hundred-year tradition. Over 5,000 scientists and 12,000 students are dedicated to studies in the agri/food and environmental domain, which are key contributors to the knowledge and expertise of the Dutch agri/food sector. Employees of Symrise will lecture at the university and students can participate in exchange programs with Symrise.

Sustainable food system, fit for the future

“We are thrilled about the idea of cooperation and direct knowledge exchange,” said Manfred Aben, Vice President R&D and Head of the Foods Innovation Centre at Unilever. Having the resources and expertise of a global leader such as Symrise located right at our site enables us to work even better together on the transformational journey towards a food system that is better for consumers and for the planet.”

Symrise aims at working together with Unilever on many different levels, including on sustainability. The new, on-site approach to integrated product development allows for more scientific collaboration on this field, the company said.

“This approach, which resembles a holistic ecosystem in which specialists from Unilever and Symrise are directly connected to one another as well as with scientists from the Wageningen University & Research, has enormous potential,” says Schaper at Symrise. “It can be adopted by other customers and enable go-to-market product acceleration. It also provides the long-term benefit of adding depth to our understanding of customers and their markets.”

Source: Symrise

13 November 2019