CANADA: Maple Leaf opens food innovation centre

By: just-food.com | 7 October 2009

Canadian food group Maple Leaf Foods has opened a C$12m (US$11.3m) innovation facility to focus on its global bakery and protein businesses.

The ThinkFood Centre occupies 25,000 square feet on the campus of Maple Leaf's corporate offices in Ontario, and operates as the company's product development hub, supporting customer research and product testing.

The centre was designed, the company said, to provide a central "hands-on learning environment" where employees can develop, share and collaborate on new food concepts with foodservice and retail customers.

"We've created an innovative environment where all of our food innovators can work together under one roof in collaboration with customers and increase the speed-to-market for introducing exciting new food ideas from around the world," said Michael McCain, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods. "ThinkFood is a place where we draw inspiration from a global food basket of ideas."

The centre's amenities include presentation kitchens, teaching and demonstration facilities, research labs, product development and sensory testing areas, simulated retail environments, and trends resource library.

Sectors: Bakery, NPD & innovation, Snacks

Companies: Maple Leaf Foods, McCain