Kerry Group, the global taste & nutrition and consumer foods group,has opened a new Global Technology & Innovation Centre to serve the Group’s global and regional customers in the EMEA [Europe, Middle East and Africa] region.

Located on a 28 acre site, in the Millennium Business Park, Naas [adjacent to the M7 and M50 Dublin motorways], the new Global Centre was officially opened by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the presence of Minister Richard Bruton, Minister Simon Coveney and the Kerry Group Board of Directors.

Kerry Group has invested €100m in establishment of the new Technology & Innovation Centre which today accommodates 800 research, product commercialisation, business development and business support positions, and which will accommodate a further 100 positions by the end of 2016.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: This investment represents a resounding endorsement of the Irish food sector and its capacity to meet the strategic needs of major global players. It is a clear vote of confidence in the quality and expertise of Irish food science graduates, and in their capacity to deliver cutting edge solutions in pursuit of new and innovative products.

Speaking at the Official Opening Ceremony, Stan McCarthy, Kerry Group Chief Executive said, “Our new Global Technology & Innovation Centre will serve as a focal point for Kerry’s customer engagement activities providing key customers with access to the Group’s complete breadth and depth of technologies, scientific research, innovation and applications expertise, across food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets. In addition it will serve as the Group’s Global Centre of Excellence for Nutrition and will optimise product differentiation in the marketplace while providing unrivalled speed to market”.

He said, “Today’s consumer markets, and changing food and beverage consumption trends, call for renewed vigour in product innovation and development of nutritious product solutions and menu offerings. Kerry’s approach to innovation capitalises on our total Taste & Nutrition technology offering and unique end-use-market applications capability.”

Mr McCarthy added that Kerry Group is extremely proud of the new world-class Technology & Innovation Centre which received tremendous support from the Irish Government, State Agencies and Kildare County Council. He also said that the Centre would support functional and business leadership development and scalable sustainable growth in Kerry well into the future.