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French agricultural cooperative Tereos has announced the opening of its new Customer Innovation Centre located in Aalst, Belgium. The facility is designed to foster innovation and deepen collaboration with customers, by offering a range of new services and solidifying its role as a central hub for customer support. Tereos’ team, supported by a network of 50 scientists, will ensure customers can innovate and meet the rising consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable products. The facility is structured by specialised teams, each focusing on different areas such as food, industry, paper & cardboard and pharmaceuticals. It showcases newly established laboratories tailored to each industry, a demonstration kitchen and upgraded analytical technologies. Services at the new centre include formulating or reformulating food products to boost fibre content and/or reduce calories and sugar content, while enhancing improved nutritional labelling. The centre also boasts product developement workshops and consulting and technical support, as well as training in multiple applications such as confectionery, chocolates, dairy, bakery, cereal products and extracted food. The centre also offers analytical testing capabilities including physical measurements, sugar composition, sensory perception and shelf stability. Michel Flambeau, Tereos’ Innovation Centre director, said: “We are committed to providing solutions to our customers to develop recipes that meet higher nutritional standards by leveraging our broad product portfolio combining fibres, cereal-based sweeteners and proteins. To make this easier, we have a team of technical experts close to our customers, who are regularly in contact with them to give advice, support and propose future project developments.” Tereos’ sales director for Europe, Marion Hoff, added: “In a marketplace where demands are constantly evolving, the ability to adapt is essential, it’s not only about meeting needs but about differentiation! At Tereos, we understand how relevant this is, and this investment underscores our commitment to innovation and product development that will allow our customers to stay ahead of the curve.”