General Mills invests $54m to expand Minnesota innovation centre

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General Mills will invest $54 million to expand its James Ford Bell Technical Center in Golden Valley, Minnesota, in what is said to be the largest upgrade in the facility’s history.

The project will add a 35,000 square foot, two-storey pilot-plant wing, increasing total pilot plant capacity by over 20% to accelerate product development across key food and beverage categories.

The new space will support the company’s focus on alternative proteins, sustainable packaging and functional foods, while reducing development-to-launch timelines.

General Mills’ chief innovation, technology and quality officer, Lanette Shaffer Wernerm said: “This expansion is a critical step in ensuring General Mills remains at the forefront of innovation. The new wing will bring much-needed flexibility to pilot plant operations and empower cross-functional collaboration across our business units, enabling us to bring the next generation of consumer-centric products to market even faster.”

Opened in 1960, the JFB Technical Center now houses around 1,000 R&D employees. The addition is set to open in fall 2027.