Innovation Center of Excellence

Adjacent to our Zaandijk manufacturing facilities, near Amsterdam, the Innovation Center of Excellence for Plant based Foods provides a fantastic, well-equipped space, in a central location, for our colleagues, customers and partners to meet and collaborate on plant based food innovation.

Overlooking the iconic and picturesque setting of the Zaanse Schans, our Center is set in a beautiful, historic warehouse, which has been carefully restored and renovated, with a striking extension of wood, steel and glass, added to the side.

Sustainability was a driver for the redevelopment. Reclaimed materials were used wherever possible, and the extension’s modular design ensures that components could easily be reused in the future.

Explore the Innovation Center of Excellence

At the Innovation Center of Excellence for Plant-based Foods, we drive consumer-led plant based food innovation by partnering with you, leveraging our high-quality plant based oils, insights, expertise, and cutting-edge capabilities to transform original ideas into reality and accelerate new product launches.

By working hard to understand your products, processes, consumers and challenges, we ensure that our collaboration is focused on achieving your goals and delivering the best possible outcome. We work closely with our customers and partners to drive innovation in five interconnected areas – our Pillars of plant based food innovation.

A man walks through a door leading into AAK innovation center of excellence office

Plant based pilot plants

We offer fantastic plant based oils, formulation expertise, analytical capabilities and specialist food production equipment to support a wide range of plant based food innovation relating to the taste, texture, nutritional value, sustainability and production of plant based dairy, meat, fish, and seafood. Our state-of-the art pilot plants provide the perfect setting to develop and test
new ideas.

Two women seated at a table, engaged in conversation while looking at a smartphone.

Global insights and marketing expertize

Through primary research, and access to a wide range of market insights and data, we can help you to understand consumer preferences, technological advancements, regional market variations and nutritional guidelines. We keep a close eye on trends too, to ensure that our portfolio of plant based food ingredients continues to be fit for purpose as you address new opportunities for plant based food innovation and differentiation.

A group of people seated at a meeting table, with a man distributing food to attendees.

Culinary development

Our culinary team showcases our concepts, containing plant-based oils, using a wide range of techniques in products and dishes that customers, partners and colleagues enjoy here in the center. In our culinary kitchens, we can collaborate, provide training, and prepare samples for sensory evaluation.

Two women in white lab coats working together in a factory, focused on their tasks.

Sensory evaluation

We offer a range of sensory evaluation services right here in the center. Facilities include sensory booths for individual product evaluations, equipped with tailored data collection software to facilitate live feedback and the immediate reporting of results. Furthermore, we have a dedicated space for panel training and focus group discussions – with access to two resident sensory panels.

We’re ready to welcome you!

Regardless of your project’s nature or development stage, we are ready to collaborate. So please do get in touch to discuss your project, and we very much look forward to welcoming you to the center soon!

Learn more about the History of the Center of Excellence