dsm-firmenich opens Van Marken Food Innovation Center in Delft to accelerate global diet transformation

dsm-firmenich has officially opened its Van Marken Food Innovation Center in Delft, the Netherlands, positioning the new facility as a cornerstone of its global food and nutrition strategy.

The center will serve as headquarters for the company’s Taste, Texture & Health business unit, which generates more than €3 billion (US$3.2 billion) annually. It is equipped with advanced laboratories and pilot-scale facilities for the dairy, bakery, and brewery industries, along with a co-creation kitchen and tasting spaces designed to support customer collaboration.

From sugar substitutes and lactose-free solutions to plant-based alternatives for fish, meat, and dairy, the center is designed to fast-track the development of products that meet growing consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable diets.

Patrick Niels, President of Taste, Texture & Health at dsm-firmenich, described the opening as a milestone in the company’s mission. “The future of food is not just a vision, it’s a reality that we’re creating right now together with our customers,” he said. “Our commitment to innovation and sustainability is unparalleled. Strategically positioned at the Dutch Biotech Campus Delft – the global food and biotechnology hotspot – the Van Marken Food Innovation Center underlines our ongoing dedication to contributing to the local environment and to the Netherlands, while honoring our 155-year legacy of food and biotechnology innovation in Delft.”

The facility brings together more than 400 employees and is built to the highest sustainability standards. Certified WELL Platinum and BREEAM Outstanding, it places emphasis on both environmental performance and employee well-being.

The opening reinforces dsm-firmenich’s long-term presence at the Biotech Campus Delft, where it has been investing steadily. Over the past two years, the company has also established its new corporate headquarters in Maastricht, underscoring its ongoing commitment to the Netherlands as a base for global operations.

Wouter Kolff, the King’s Commissioner in the Province of South-Holland, highlighted the broader regional importance of the new center. “dsm-firmenich’s Van Marken Food Innovation Center is of great importance to the province of Zuid-Holland. The center is a driving force in strengthening the knowledge ecosystem and economic growth in the region and beyond. dsm-firmenich is an important employer and a magnet for current and future talent, contributing to the attractiveness of the city of Delft, the province and the Netherlands.”

The facility also carries a symbolic legacy. It is named after Jacques van Marken, the founder of the Yeast and Spirits Factory in Delft, later known as Gist-Brocades, which was acquired by DSM in 1998. Van Marken was regarded as a visionary entrepreneur and social reformer whose progressive business practices were ahead of their time. By dedicating the new center in his name, dsm-firmenich aims to recognize his influence and continue his spirit of innovation and social responsibility.

For more than 150 years, the company and its predecessors have played a role in shaping everyday food products. Contributions include reducing sugar and salt in processed foods, developing natural antifungal preservatives to extend shelf life, and creating enzymes that enable people with lactose intolerance to consume dairy. These innovations now underpin a new generation of projects at the Van Marken Food Innovation Center, with a focus on balancing taste, health, and sustainability.

The launch of the facility comes at a time of heightened global urgency to transform diets. With the world’s population continuing to grow, food producers face the dual challenge of improving nutrition while reducing the environmental footprint of the food system. dsm-firmenich sees its new Delft hub as central to meeting those challenges, offering a platform for co-creation with partners across the food industry.