Jan Zandbergen Group have opened a new Food Innovation Center establishing themselves as more than just a meat company.

The innovation center is located in Veenendaal in the heart of the Dutch 'Food Valley', giving Jan Zandbergen Group access to some of the best minds in food technology and research. For example, partnerships have already been set up with leading universities and institutions such as Wageningen University and The Protein Community of the Foodvalley region. In addition, synergy between the various sister companies Divande and Future Food Group is necessary for progress, and that is what this center represents for the Jan Zandbergen Group.

The new innovation center includes an 'Experience Center,' where visitors can attend cooking demonstrations and tastings. In addition to a fully equipped professional kitchen with various catering ovens and an indoor BBQ, there is a complete Research & Development lab. The in-house team of product developers is already developing more than 100 products per year and will have even more possibilities thanks to these new facilities.

To celebrate the opening of the facility, the company held an event entitled "The Taste of Innovation," giving guests the opportunity to hear lectures from Rabobank and Wageningen University, amongst others, and to taste both animal and vegetable protein innovations. Guests were introduced to the latest news, trends, and challenges within the food supply, such as the growing demand for animal proteins, along with the challenges in the field of sustainability and a consumer who is mainly concerned with price.

“We are an important player in the global protein supply,” said CEO Peter-Paul Zandbergen. “This innovation center is a place where our departments, customers, and agencies come together. Where we can develop new products and explore different ways to produce them with sustainability in mind.”

Watch the video to see the opening event.

The innovation center is just one part of Jan Zandbergen Group's aim to become a leader in the field of sustainable protein production. With this new center, the company has taken a step towards achieving its goal. As Peter-Paul Zandbergen stated, “Our mission is simple – we want to provide our customers with high-quality proteins that are responsibly and sustainably sourced.”

Whether using advanced technologies or finding sustainable sources, Jan Zandbergen Group has shown that it is not afraid to take risks when it comes to innovation in the food supply. Now that the new Food Innovation Center has opened, it can continue to strive to make tastier, healthier, and more sustainable proteins available worldwide.