Food & beverage giant Nestle opened its new 50 million dollar research & development facility in Solon Wednesday . The plant will develop new frozen food lines including pizzas, pastas and cookies. Sean Westcott, head of the new product technology center, says the location allows Nestle to continue its work with local institutions including Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic.
We have also done research with the Lerner Institute which is part of the Cleveland Clinic group, so we do nutritional research with them focusing on whole grains, so yeah all of those different, if you would like, partners that are around us, we work with them and we will work with them in the future for sure.
Nestle says the new facility will help the company respond to consumer demand for more healthy products with lower sodium and options like gluten free products. The R&D site creates 115 new jobs in the triangle of Nestle offices in Solon along with a factory and the headquarters of Stouffers.