Givaudan is catering to the market analysis needs of customers in the Nordic region with the opening of the Givaudan Nordic Experience Centre in Malmö, Sweden. 

The Swiss flavor house says the new facility “unlocks more opportunities for co-creation with Nordic customers, “helping accelerate innovation and enhance the company’s ability to tailor food and beverages to local trends and preferences.

Nordic food trends spotlighted
Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Jonas Lellky, commercial director Northern Europe at Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing, highlights that trends in the Nordic region are similar to other parts of Europe. 

“We see consumers looking for healthier products that enhance their well-being, such as products that are lower in fat, salt and sugar – but that still taste great. [Environmental] sustainability is also a key focus, and we see that an increasing number of people want to buy from local producers and enjoy food that can be produced in a more planet-friendly way.”

Givaudan sees a shift in the Nordics toward plant-based products – both meat analogs and dairy.Much like the rest of the world, Givaudan sees a shift in the Nordics toward plant-based products – both meat analogs and dairy. 

“Sweden is ahead of the game in the maturity and development of both plant-based meat and dairy products,” he affirms.

Lellky believes that while the significant trends are similar, the local taste preferences are quite typical for the Nordics.

Notably, there is a high level of innovation activity in this region, which is accelerating, explains Lellky. “It’s also visible in an active start-up scene,” he adds.

“Alongside this, there are a lot of company headquarters near our Nordic Experience Centre, which allows us to serve both local Nordic needs and to bring in our experts from all over the region for support on export-focused innovation.”

The Nordic Experience Centre provides professional lab space and state-of-the-art equipment for product development across Givaudan’s full Taste & Wellbeing portfolio and all product segments – from sweet goods, baked items and dairy to savory food, snacks and beverages. 

It also incorporates a culinary demo kitchen, a creative space for innovation sessions with customers, and space for Givaudan’s commercial and technical teams.

Relevance to regional connections
Givaudan’s 2025 business strategy includes a focus on deepening market coverage across high-growth markets like the Nordics. 

Lellky further specifies how Malmö as the location of the new facility is significant for its regional connections. 

“It is located close to the Oresund Bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden and the public transport hub. In addition, our new facility is based in The Edge, a sleek modern building with world-class amenities throughout, which is perfect for our new facility and technology.”

He also underscores that Givaudan is “evolving from a flavor house to a full experience provider.”The Nordic Experience Centre incorporates a culinary demo kitchen, a creative space for innovation sessions with customers. 

“At our new facility we work across all types of product segments in F&B, and we can offer the full Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing portfolio. As customers increasingly aim to differentiate their products, we’re actively co-creating with them to help them to develop differentiated and consumer-relevant products.”

“Bringing these facilities closer to our customers enables us to more effectively identify opportunities, gain an in-depth understanding of customer challenges and accelerate new product development, from prototyping to production,” he laments.

With its comprehensive portfolio spanning flavors, botanicals and natural colors, Lellky believes the company is “uniquely placed in the industry.”

In other recent developments, Givaudan expanded its global protein innovation network with a new Protein Hub at its flagship Zurich Innovation Centre in Kemptthal, Switzerland.