Bell Flavors extends its operations with new UK facilities
US-founded Bell Flavors & Fragrances has formally opened its latest culinary centre and office space in Ketton, Stamford, UK, which will focus on a number of market segments including confectionery and bakery applications.
As the company noted, its new location strengthens its capabilities and regional reach within the British markets and allows a greater level of localised solutions for customers.
The business confirmed its snacking applications include sweet and savoury baked goods, potato chips, as well as pellet snacks or extruded items, popcorn as well as chocolate and sugar confectionery.
“The new culinary centre and office space incorporates a state-of-the-art test kitchen, meeting space and office facilities”, says Oliver Saalmann, Vice President Flavours Division.
“With a strong focus on the UK market, this new facility strengthens not only our regional presence – customers will benefit from a faster access to innovative culinary solutions and service. It will allow us to accelerate market oriented product developments together with our customers, explore and develop new concepts and product solutions, host tasting and innovation sessions and increase our expertise in the culinary sector, while keeping track of regional legal implications”, he adds.
Complementing Bell’s headquarters in Leipzig, Germany, the new facility is designed to encourage creativity, target culinary innovation and focus on regional product needs, with an own culinary chef working on-site to deliver on food innovation.
The space also comprises flavour application capabilities in savoury, sweet, dairy and the beverage segments. “It is important for us to be ahead of industry challenges and consumer insights, anticipate major trends at an early stage and deliver great taste experiences as well as functional solutions for our customers, enabling them to create successful and winning consumer products.
Within the facilities, the kitchen and tasting area sets the ideal spot to expand our culinary capabilities and to collaboratively develop new food solutions together with our customers and partners, based on current or future market dynamics, changing dietary needs and by helping to create healthier products that are in-line with consumer expectations.
It is an inspiring, modern place for ideation and networking and gives our team a creative environment to innovate with flavours, botanical extracts and other food ingredients to create new experiences with a focus on authenticity and clean labelling.”, Saalmann notes. The official opening ceremony was held on September, 26th and attended by customers and partners, the Bell EMEA management including President Raymond Heinz and Vice President Oliver Saalmann, alongside the UK team, Bell’s culinary chef, R&D and marketing team members.
The ceremony was further highlighted by former England and Paralympics GB captain Jack Rutter, who cut the ribbon as a symbol of the official opening. Further to this, Bell invited UK celebrity chef Richard Bainbridge, who accompanied the event with an exclusive food demo, using Bell’s botanical extracts and natural flavours in his culinary creations.
