Bolthouse Farms on Wednesday, unveiled its brand new $5 million innovation center, a place where new ideas take root and grow into new products for all of us to eat.
The 18,000 square foot building is impressive. Inside, a team of 40 employees, from PhDs to scientists to marketing specialists, collaborate on the creation of new food products. These new products will feature Bolthouse's stock and trade, the carrot as well as premium beverages and salad dressings.
"It's really a multipurpose facility intended to accelerate healthier foods and beverages," said Todd Putman, Chief Marketing Officer for Bolthouse Farms. "We've been so spread out around the state and the country, this brings together different operations to accelerate progress."
There's a lab section where scientists and food nutritionists are testing new seasonings and produce combinations. There's a pilot plant where new products are being developed on a smaller scale. And there's a a sensory area where consumers can actually come in and sample new products being developed in the innovation center.
"It allows us to take produce, which has been a rational idea, and make it fun and accessible and affordable for more people across the country," said Putman.
One of the first products created at the innovation center and now on the market, is the Baby Carrot Shakedown. It's a packet of carrots with a pouch of natural seasonings inside. You break open the pouch and you have, in this case, ranch-flavored baby carrots.
