About this issue

Focus on Food Packaging

The principal function of food packaging is the protection and preservation of food from external contamination. Physical and barrier protection keeps the food content clean, fresh and safe, and prolongs shelf life.

A broad selection of packaging types and related technologies is available within the food and beverage industry. Thanks to constant innovation and response to changing consumer and food service needs, packaging has expanded its functions to include, for instance, dissemination of information/product labeling; product differentiation and promotion; consumer convenience; portion control; cost-effectiveness; and distribution and handling security.  

Packaging technology development has become an important key to food loss reduction. What's more, the development of new packaging materials will contribute significantly to sustainability along the agrofood chain. The Netherlands is in the forefront of all of these developments. Dutch academia, well-recognized institutes and food companies are all pursuing exciting opportunities — examples of which are presented in this newsletter. You are most welcome to contact us about this challenging area!

About Food for Thought

Written for food industry decision makers, Food for Thought reports periodically on agrofood activities and advances within the Netherlands. Its articles, overviews, and white papers provide an overall perspective on food technologies, innovations, and R&D taking place here.

US food giant Heinz to invest strongly in innovation with new European research center in Holland

H.J. Heinz Company is set to make its biggest investment in innovation ever, with the construction of a European research center in the Netherlands. The city of Nijmegen will become home to the largest Heinz innovation center outside of the United States, with a an initial staff of more than 100 top product developers, researchers and quality managers.

Heinz — the manufacturer of the iconic Heinz® Tomato Ketchup brand, as well as Dutch-based brands such as Honig, Roosvicee, Venz, De Ruijter and Brinta — has set an ambitious target for itself, committing to increasing both innovation and quality, and positioning the already strong Heinz brands for further growth.

"We are delighted that Heinz headquarters has offered us the opportunity to rebuild this innovation junction in Nijmegen," explains Mark Atkins, Vice President R&D of Heinz in Europe. "We are at the heart of the region where all expertise on food and health is bundled, so we offer an attractive workplace for top talent in the field of research and product development." The presence of this research center in the knowledge heart of the Dutch Food and Health Valley is a great boost for the Dutch government, which has made it an economic policy priority to attract such enterprises.

"This reinforces our ambition to have a global reputation as a knowledge economy," says Maxime Verhagen, Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. "I am proud that we have convinced Heinz to choose the Netherlands. It proves we belong in the top echelons of the agro-food world."

Verhagen was supported in this endeavor by experts at the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), the provinces of Gelderland and Utrecht, the municipalities of Nijmegen and Zeist, as well as regional development agencies like Oost NV and Invest Utrecht.

To support its innovation agenda, Heinz will also reinforce its European supply chain organization and consolidate and centrally lead its strategic procurement, manufacturing, logistics and inventory control. These strategic functions will be based in the HQ of Heinz Continental Europe in Zeist.