Kerry inaugurates its customer co‑creation center in Colombia
The new centre, located within Kerry’s existing Medellín campus, provides a dedicated environment for customers and strategic partners to move rapidly from concept ideation to testing and prototyping, shortening development cycles for food and beverage solutions.
COLOMBIA – Kerry, a global leader in Taste & Nutrition, has officially inaugurated its Customer Co‑Creation Center in Medellín, Colombia, a cutting-edge facility designed to accelerate collaborative innovation across the Andean region.
The center, located within Kerry’s existing facilities, emphasizes a customer-centric approach, enabling seamless co-creation from initial concept ideation to full prototyping and application in food and beverage products.
This strategic initiative strengthens Kerry’s commitment to the region by integrating with other hubs in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States to enhance synergy.
Reynaldo Barros, General Manager of Kerry in Andina, the Caribbean, and Central America, highlighted the center’s role during the inauguration attended by Marcio Luz, President and CEO Latin America, and Cyril Brennan, Ambassador of Ireland to Colombia.
“This new center represents a strategic step in strengthening our closeness with customers in the region,” Barros stated.
“By combining local market knowledge, technical expertise, and Kerry’s global capabilities, we can develop more relevant, agile solutions aligned with consumer preferences, resulting in more nutritious and flavorful products.”
Equipped with specialized laboratories for beverages, meat products, snacks, bakery, confectionery, flavor development, analytical testing, and sensory panels, the facility also includes an experimental kitchen, barista and mixology areas, and dedicated spaces for marketing and RD&A teams.
These resources target key categories like bakery and snacks, showcasing Kerry technologies tailored to regional tastes while speeding up reformulation for healthier options, such as sugar and sodium reduction.
The setup fosters quicker decision-making and deeper partnerships with local ecosystems, reducing time from idea to market-ready solutions.
Kerry’s longstanding presence in Colombia, spanning over 30 years, underscores its expansion in Latin America, boosted by the 2023 acquisition of Proexcar S.A.S., experts in functional proteins for meat.
Originating as an Irish dairy cooperative over 50 years ago, Kerry now operates in over 50 countries with 124 plants and over 70 innovation centers, prioritizing sustainable nutrition to reach two billion people by 2030.
This Medellín center aligns with those goals, promoting clean-label practices, waste reduction, and eco-friendly food systems amid rising consumer demand for health-focused innovations in the Andean markets.
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