The Fries of the Future from Innovation Center in Bergen op Zoom

BERGEN OP ZOOM/KRUININGEN - Lamb Weston, a global producer and supplier of fries, plans to construct an Innovation Center on Van Wamelweg. This center will serve as a hub for the development and testing of new products, aiming to boost the company's innovative capabilities. Anton Godschalk, who is part of the team responsible for bringing new products to market at Lamb Weston, describes the Innovation Center as a large experimental kitchen. Lamb Weston (LW) specializes in the production of potato products, particularly frozen fries, and supplies to fast food chains, restaurants, and supermarkets in over 100 countries. The company operates factories in Bergen op Zoom (N-Br), Kruiningen (Zeeland), Oosterbierum (Friesland), and Broekhuizenvorst (Limburg) in the Netherlands, with its main office located in Breda. Currently, the company utilizes the DAB innovation center, the Delta Agrifood Business, for research and product development. However, due to space constraints and the need to enhance its innovation capabilities, Lamb Weston is constructing its own innovation center opposite the Berg factory. The new center will facilitate experiments with various potato varieties, cutting techniques, chip shapes, and flavors. It will also allow for the scaling up of new techniques and methods, enabling the company to determine the potential success of a new product or technique earlier in the process. The Innovation Center will also provide a platform for exploring new sustainable techniques, such as the electric pre-frying of chips. The company aims to transition from gas to more sustainable energy sources in its factories. The decision to locate the Innovation Center in Bergen op Zoom was intentional, as Lamb Weston aims to keep the knowledge in the region where the potatoes are grown. The center is expected to create a variety of job opportunities, from cleaners and process operators to product developers and researchers. With the Innovation Center, Lamb Weston aims to gain more control over the market. The company plans to develop and offer more choices, rather than allowing customers to dictate what the fries should look like. Lamb Weston has been utilizing its own test panel for years, a group of employees who evaluate products based on taste, smell, shape, and texture. The company is aware of the preferences of each country it supplies to. The ultimate goal is for Lamb Weston's new products to be available not only in the catering industry but also in supermarket freezer compartments. Construction of the Innovation Center on Van Wamelweg is underway, with the walls expected to be completed by summer. The installation of machines is planned for early next year, with the center expected to be fully operational by April. Godschalk anticipates that the test center will create around ten jobs in the short term. LW/M is a joint venture formed in 1994 between the American group Lamb Weston and the Zeeland company Frozen Foods. The company employs approximately 1,500 people, with factories in England and Austria, and offices in Dubai and Nigeria. Lamb Weston also employs approximately 7,000 people worldwide.