Nestlé has completed its €27 million infant nutrition R&D centre at its Limerick manufacturing facility following a three-year build.
The centre will concentrate on developing premium, science-based products for mothers and infants.
It incorporates state-of-the-art laboratory facilities as well as a full pilot-scale manufacturing line to facilitate the development, and testing of new products from initial concept through to product deployment.
Over 40 research staff are employed at the R&D Centre, which is co-located with Nestlé’s Wyeth Nutrition manufacturing plant – which produces a range of premium milk powder products for infants, young children and mothers for export to world markets.
“Our Irish R&D Centre will benefit from Nestlé’s global R&D network and help to position Nestlé at the fore of infant and maternal nutritional product development, one of Nestlé’s most important growth drivers,” said Thomas Hauser, Head of Global Product and Technology Development for Nestlé S.A.
“With this new centre, we will increase the pace of our innovation capacity by enabling our scientists to explore innovative nutritional solutions for the crucial first 1,000 days of life.”
Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine added: “This is a strategically important investment for Ireland by the world’s largest food and beverage company. We are honoured to have a world leading research facility that provides a cutting-edge scientific base to develop new products that will bring health benefits to infants, children and mothers worldwide.
“Nestlé’s decision to invest and open this centre further places Ireland internationally as a location that offers quality raw dairy materials combined with a highly educated and skilled workforce. It is a major signal of confidence in the future and quality of the Irish dairy industry.”
