Kerry opens regional innovation centre at Expo City Dubai
Kerry Group chief executive Edmond Scanlon inaugurated the facility alongside Abdulaziz Al Jaziri, deputy chief executive and chief operating officer of Dubai Future Foundation. The company established its first Dubai development centre in 2013. Its new facility extends that activity to serve customers throughout the Middle East and markets beyond the region.
According to Kerry, the centre combines consumer research, information on trends and ingredients drawn from its international network to support locally tailored product development. Scanlon said the investment reflected Kerry’s long-term commitment to the Middle East and to supporting customers’ growth. He said closer access to the group’s taste and nutrition expertise would help customers develop products suited to local preferences and changing consumer needs. He described the foundation partnership as a way to explore nutritional improvements while retaining familiar flavours.
Customers can develop products alongside Kerry chefs and scientists using communal kitchens, laboratories for applications work and a room for sensory assessment. These facilities allow products to undergo tasting, testing and adjustment before commercial introduction. Development is also supported by the company’s proprietary artificial-intelligence tools: Kalaido assists product innovation, while Nexus supports recipe formulation. The tools draw on market information and expertise from over 1,300 scientists across Kerry’s worldwide network of 60 centres for technology and innovation.
The Taste of Tomorrow Challenge was introduced to coincide with the opening and forms part of the collaboration for Dubai Future Week. Local chefs and creators will join Kerry scientists to adapt traditional dishes associated with Emirati and Dubai cuisine. The task is to lower salt, sugar or fat while preserving the taste of foods including karak, laban and luqaimat.
Each participating team will receive one of three briefs linked to Dubai Future Week: living longer, performing better or feeling better. Work on the dishes will take place in Kerry’s kitchens during a ten-day development period running from November 9th to 19th. Kerry, Dubai Future Foundation and the creators will film the teams’ progress and share it.
On Friday November 20th, participants will present their dishes during Dubai Future Week. They will pitch their work to a judging panel, and visitors and media representatives will be able to taste the results. Prizes will recognise the strongest dish under each brief, as well as a public favourite and an overall winner.
Dubai Future Foundation organises Dubai Future Week, which brings together more than 10,000 inventors, investors, policymakers and specialists from different countries. Its programme examines future living and wellbeing, covering subjects including longevity, sport, mental health, food and nutrition.
