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Tate & Lyle opens new innovation centre in Indonesia
Dubbed the ‘Customer Innovation and Collaboration Centre’, it is designed to support the development of healthy options, including low and no calorie sweeteners, that appeal to local tastes.
The centre includes an office and laboratory where customers will be invited to create new and reformulated products, while also housing Tate & Lyle’s local technical, commercial and sales teams.
The UK-based business has been supplying Indonesia for more than a decade and acquired two companies in China and another in Thailand over the last four years.
Tate & Lyle chief executive Nick Hampton, who was present at the opening this week, said: “From our new base in Central Jakarta, our local team will help food and drink producers to tap into our leading ingredient portfolio and unmatched ability to formulate across the intersection of sweetening, mouthfeel and fortification, co-creating food and drink products with less sugar, fat and calories and with the added nutritional benefits of fibre and plant protein.”
Commitment to healthy eating
Research from the International Diabetes Foundation showed that at least 13% of the Indonesian population suffers from diabetes, and Tate & Lyle hopes its commitment to healthy eating can help prevent future cases.
The company's head of nutrition, regulatory, and scientific affairs Kavita Karnik said scientific evidence shows that low and no calorie sweeteners can help people reduce their sugar intake.
“We also use our portfolio of dietary fibres to not only reduce sugar, which they can do very effectively, but to provide additional health benefits such as help with maintaining blood glucose and keeping us feeling fuller for longer, which can help with weight management,” Karnik added.
“Emerging science, including the multi-national research collaborations we establish and drive, shows dietary fibre can provide wider benefits, from brain health to metabolic health and reduced risk of non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, which is why we predict it will be a growing local trend in Indonesia.”
Tate & Lyle has a presence in 39 countries worldwide, employing 3,500 people.
Meanwhile, the recent Bakkavor ESG report showed the firm cut carbon emissions and food waste in 2022.
