Unilever opens Hive, its new Foods Innovation Centre

“Hive” is the name of Unilever’s new Foods Innovation Centre, an €85 million hub that will lead the Dutch giant’s global food innovation programmes for brands like Knorr, Hellmann’s, The Vegetarian Butcher and Calvé.

Areas of research will include plant-based ingredients and meat alternatives, efficient crops, sustainable food packaging and nutritious foods.

Located in the Wageningen area of the Netherlands, a region nicknamed “Food Valley”, the centre is set amongst universities, start-ups, NGOs and research centres, facilitating the partnerships needed to accelerate the development of technology in the food industry. “We need a fundamental transformation of the food system if we are to feed more than 9 billion people sustainably and nutritiously,” said Alan Jope, Unilever CEO. “Malnutrition, obesity and food waste are issues that can only be addressed if we share ideas and skills.”

Unilever’s Hive also has the highest certification for sustainable buildings: “BREEAM-NL Outstanding”.