Global health and wellness company The Hain Celestial Group Inc is celebrating the grand opening of its Innovation Experience Center within its Global Headquarters in Hoboken, N.J. As consumers seek brands that support healthier living, Hain is opening the IEC to offer a consumer-centric and data-driven approach to product development and innovation.

The Innovation Experience Center is a 2,200-square-foot working kitchen, designed to be a hub for hands-on creativity and sensory exploration. The space will be utilized for cross-functional product development, ingredient testing, quality reviews, category assessments, and evaluating the functionality and sustainability of product packaging of Hain's snacks, baby/kids, beverages, meal prep and personal care brands.

"At Hain Celestial, our purpose is to inspire healthier living through our better-for-you brands. Our new Innovation Experience Center is the perfect space for teams to combine consumer insights, culinary and health trends, and new ingredients to create unique and distinctive products," said Arlene Karan, Hain's chief regulatory, R&D and quality and innovation officer. "The center is an investment in our future, offering a modern space where we can push the boundaries of what's possible in the better-for-you industry."

The IEC features two distinct areas: one for hands-on product development by the technical team and another for immersing Hain customers and partners in a full sensory experience. The IEC was designed and constructed with Hain's Global R&D, Quality, Regulatory and Innovation teams. Hain will continue to leverage R&D labs at its manufacturing facilities worldwide for more comprehensive product development, testing and commercializing production to meet consumer demand.

"Our investment in the Innovation Experience Center is an important next step in our journey to reimagine our future in better-for-you," said Hain Celestial President and CEO Wendy Davidson. "Earlier this year we redesigned our innovation process to strengthen our pipeline across our leading brands and categories. This center further enables us to transform bold ideas into distinctive products and underscores our dedication to leading in our categories, challenging the status quo and delivering exceptional value to our customers."

Karan and her R&D team celebrated the Innovation Experience Center's grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Hain leadership. The event showcased six sensory-focused product demonstrations.

Source: The Hain Celestial Group