Firmenich has opened a new beverage center for flavored emulsions and juice compounds in Mont-Saint-Guibert (Louvain La Neuve), just outside of Brussels, Belgium, in order to meet customer need for flavored emulsions and juice compounds across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The facility will focus on the creation and marketing of flavor solutions for the beverage industry and innovation will be an integral part of this focus, as the company plans to expand its taste modulation business in Europe, particularly in beverages. Firmenich has had a presence in the region since 2007 and operates its primary beverage manufacturing plant near the new facility.
“Based on the continued growth of our business with our beverage customers in the region, we are thrilled to have made this strategic investment,” said Mark Bailey, vice president of flavors Europe.
The company said the center has been designed specifically to foster collaboration between the different functions including creation, analytical, application and marketing, through open and shared work stations. In addition, a pilot plant on site is capable of mimicking the industrial process for all relevant beverage processing steps, which plans to minimize complications related to scale-up issues in product development.
