The new $50 million Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) Innovation Centre in Orbe, Switzerland, will strive to find new cereal benefits for consumers, including improved nutrition, taste and quality.

The state-of-the-art technical facility will design and develop new platforms for future growth, including product innovation, technology, packaging, and nutrition research and development.

“Innovation has always been a key part of CPW’s success, which is why we are confident that the new R&D center we are celebrating today will play a significant role in the continued growth of CPW,” said Ken Powell, General Mills chairman and chief executive officer.

Speaking at the opening event on Feb. 1, Powell said, “We see CPW’s future as very bright indeed. Not only because the cereal category is still in its early stages of growth in many areas around the world, but also because cereal is just such a great product – particularly as consumers look for ways to live healthier.”

Second-largest cereal producer Nestlé and General Mills established the CPW joint venture in 1990, and today CPW is the world’s second largest cereal producer, marketing more than 50 brands – including Fitness, Cheerios, Chocapic and Nesquik.

CPW markets cereal in more than 130 countries worldwide, and holds leading market positions in several countries.

At the celebration, Christi Strauss, president and chief executive officer of CPW, said the new global research and development hub will leverage scientific knowledge from both partners.

“CPW already leverages expert support in science and research from both Nestlé and General Mills, but this will make it much easier to collaborate across our R&D facilities. It will ensure that CPW provides consumer-preferred products, irrespective of geographic location.”

The new innovation facility also illustrates CPW’s commitment to environmental sustainability by meeting the requirements for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification in the United States, and Swiss-based certifying agency MinergieEco.

Complementary skills Paul Bulcke, Nestlé chief executive officer, used the occasion to outline the strength of the partnership. “This is a complementary mix of skills, as General Mills has a proven cereal marketing approach, technical excellence and a wide portfolio of successful U.S. brands; and Nestlé has a strong worldwide presence and brands, together with a deep local market and distribution knowledge and production facilities.”

The strong partnership and dedication to health is reflected in the commitment of both Nestlé and General Mills -- as members of the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) – to promote balanced diets and healthy lifestyles.

In 2008, IFBA members committed to a set of five actions over the next five years globally: reformulating products; communicating nutrition; advertising responsibly; encouraging physical activity; and supporting public-private partnerships that reinforce the World Health Organization’s Global Strategy.

As consumers have increasingly sought healthier choices at breakfast over the past five years, CPW has significantly and progressively increased whole grain in its cereals, while reducing salt and sugar levels. During this time, more than 3 billion servings of whole grain have been added to CPW cereals.

 Inside General Mills