Cargill has expanded its Food Innovation Center in Plymouth, Minn., with upgrades that have created a collaborative environment where the company's researchers work side-by-side with customers' staff.

The facility was completely remodeled offering retail and foodservice customers full access to state-of-the-art research equipment and the knowledge from its food scientists. The result, the company said, is an innovation environment that reduces product development cycles and improves access to global market insights and technologies.

Cargill will also bring the majority of its North American food and ingredient research staff together in the $5.5 million expansion, which doubled the square footage of the facility from 20,000 to 40,000. The facility will provide extensive ingredient expertise in numerous food categories, including snacks, cereal, bakery, confectionary, convenience and frying applications.

Cargill's Food Innovation Center is the company's primary R&D facility serving food and beverage manufacturers and foodservice customers in North America.

SOURCE: Cargill