Schwartz parent firm spices up UK production

25-May-2011 - Last updated on 26-May-2011 at 12:27 GMT

Schwartz’s parent company, the global herb and spice manufacturer McCormick, has opened a new technical innovation centre in the UK.

The £1.5m centre opened at Schwartz’s UK headquarters in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire in April.

It is the first for parent McCormick in its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, and employs 75 dedicated staff out of a total of 450 based in Haddenham.

McCormick also has Technical Development Centres in South Africa and in the United States.

Rick Gill, McCormick vice president, EMEA Technical and Research & Development told FoodManufacture.co.uk that the company would work directly with industrial and foodservice customers to provide solutions for any of their food requirements at the centre.

Local consumers would also be invited to sensory sessions to blind test the latest innovation concepts.

Local flavour preferences

Said Gill: “We want to lead in innovation and deliver winning products with superior flavours, positive nutrition and value, while ensuring products are created with local taste and flavour preferences in mind.”

The 612m² centre includes kitchens for recipe creation and a high-tech sensory area for customers and consumers to provide feedback on products under development.

The centre was built using sustainable materials such as carpeting and glass partitioning made from recycled materials.

McCormick’s global sales were a net US $3.3bn (£2bn) in 2010, with 10% coming from innovations launched over the past three years.