Since The Hatchery's opening in 2018, a number of major CPG players and ingredient companies have partnered with the incubator including Ingredion, Kellogg's, Conagra, Mondelez International, and Griffith Foods.
Univar Solutions' new Food Solution Center located within The Hatchery is part of the company's broader network of state-of-the-art centers across the country, which combine research & development and formulation expertise with culinary test kitchens to deliver sustainable food solutions.
"Our food scientists and technical specialists look forward to bringing better products to market at Univar Solutions' first dedicated Food Solution Center in North America," said Dr. Andrew Mint, director, global Solution Centers.
"Having both culinary chefs and culinary development scientists collaborating under one roof will help take customer projects to the next level, driving technical excellence within the North America food industry and globally as we deliver innovative solutions together."
Through its new Chicago-based Solution Center, Univar Solutions will target recruiting local food entrepreneurs while supporting The Hatchery Chicago's DE&I goals focused on the advancement of women-owned and Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) owned businesses.
Combining culinary science with application development support, Univar Solutions said it will work closely with its customers, suppliers and the local food and beverage community to develop creative problem-solving and serve innovative formulations, recipes, and ingredient kits to help brands of all sizes grow and thrive.