Hershey opens Chinese innovation centre
Hershey has opened an innovation centre in Shanghai, China. The centre will enable Hershey to quickly develop, test and launch new products customised to the tastes of consumers in China and across the Asia region. The facility provides a strategic gateway to the larger Asia market while enabling close collaboration with local and regional China sales, marketing and operations personnel. China is currently Hershey’s fastest growth market, moving from number seven to number three in chocolate share in just five years with overall chocolate share more than quadrupling by 2012.
The two-floor, 22,000 square-foot facility is a significant investment in the Chinese market and will house R&D laboratories, a pilot plant for the chocolate and sweets & refreshment categories and a development centre for emerging product offerings. It will also feature a sensory area, creativity centre, packaging development section and research laboratory.
The centre will initially employ 12 scientists and product developers and includes office space for up to 32 engineers and innovation staff.
