US snack maker Diamond Foods, the owner of brands including Kettle Chips, is building an innovation centre in its domestic market.
Work starts this week on the site, which is located adjacent to the Kettle production facility in Salem in Oregon. It is set to be completed next year.
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Diamond said the centre would support innovation across its snack and nut brands. The facility includes an R&D kitchen and lab, allowing for production of product samples, and it will also have a “sensory evaluation centre” for real-time product testing with consumers.
“It is a commitment for the future,” said Holly Mensch, Diamond’s vice president of research, development and innovation. “We are focusing on innovation on all fronts – flavours, formats and packaging and the new facility gives us more space and equipment to do our work more efficiently and space to immediately test with consumers.”
