Sabra Dipping has unveiled a new center of excellence (COE) research and development (R&D) facility for refrigerated dips and spreads in Chesterfield County, Virginia, US.
The new R&D centre is located on the site of Sabra's hummus manufacturing facility. It will further research capabilities and enhance Sabra's products in all aspects of food manufacturing and distribution, from agriculture, nutrition and food science to engineering, packaging and product delivery.
It features a culinary centre, research laboratory, ideation space, a pilot plant and hands-on research modules.
The COE supports Sabra and the international venture between PepsiCo and Strauss Group, called Obela.
Obela was launched in Mexico in June 2012 with three varieties of hummus -chipotle, red pepper and plain.
Sabra Dipping CEO Ronen Zohar said that the company, in partnership with Obela, will push the research and development capabilities, opening a world of possibilities in dips and spreads in terms of innovation, taste, and health, among others.
"The Center will house experts in culinary arts, food technology and nutrition, and will conduct groundbreaking research on chickpeas, fruits and vegetables, some of which will be done in conjunction with local VA universities," Zohar added.
As Obela plans to expand beyond Mexico and Australia, the new R&D facility in Virginia will allow it to leverage experience from the US market to cater to the needs of communities globally.
Meanwhile, Sabra also broken ground on the on the next phase of expansion of its existing manufacturing facility in Virginia, a move which is expected to create 140 jobs over the next few years. The $86m expansion will further increase production capabilities and help the company meet the increasing demands for its hummus
Sabra Dipping is a US - Canadian joint venture between Israel-based Strauss and PepsiCo.