European Protein Innovation Hub
The European Protein Innovation Hub (“The Hub”), is connected to Cargill’s Saint-Cyr en Val plant, located in Orleans, France. Opened in 2023, it is Cargill’s first protein-focused innovation and inspiration center in Europe designed to step change customers speed-to-market. The Hub features a multifunctional customer experience area, a state-of-the-art development kitchen and a modern pilot plant. Here, customers can co-create recipes with Cargill Protein’s culinary chefs and food technologists and test new menu concepts and product prototypes in the kitchen before commercialization. This facility enables our customers to develop and test new protein products to meet their innovation needs with increased speed-to-market. It is also part of Cargill’s continued investment in the innovation of proteins as an essential component of the food chain.
World class protein expertise
Cargill’s Protein Innovation Hub is the perfect home for unsurpassed protein experiences to transform ideas into an exciting reality. With more than 30 years' experience in proteins, a team of culinary chefs and innovation experts work alongside customers to explore the entire world of protein under one roof - from consumer and market insights to sensory profiling and product concepts.
The idea-to-execution concept begins with product co-creation, where customers can create or re-create samples of finished products inspired by Cargill chefs across Europe. Cargill’s European Protein team can then rapidly prototype new products in small batches improving speed to market through a pilot line, while undertaking analytical and sensory testing to ensure the end products exceed consumers evolving protein preferences. Finished products are presented in the customer experience center which boasts a restaurant space and hosts chef demonstrations, workshops, and training to enhance co-development and customer experience.
Activities at the center include:
Restaurant-style demo kitchen
- Create restaurant quality recipes to inspire protein menu development
- Develop and validate new menu builds in a modern restaurant setting
- Host demonstrations or live streaming of culinary preparations
Customer experience area
- Experience culinary demonstration as part of co-creation
- Taste test recipes and prototypes in a customized restaurant setting
- Participate in innovation workshops and meetings
Development kitchen
- Transform culinary recipes and product design to protein prototypes
- Prepare protein prototypes for sensory testing and consumer validation
- Create samples for testing in preparation for the pilot line stage
Pilot line
- Develop new processes to deliver unique product design and create product differentiation
- Test new products in the pilot scale—including small-batch offerings—to ensure alignment with product design prior to commercial production
- Produce prototypes safe for taste testing with employees, customers, and consumers.
For more information or to plan a visit with your team please: