With a focus on technology and innovation, the Kerry Group announcement of a new research and development plant in Naas, Co. Kildare, provides unparalleled opportunities for UCD food science students, graduates, and scientists.
According to An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, the Kerry Group Global Technology and Innovation Centre, a €100 million investment by the company, will lead to the creation of 800 highly-skilled jobs by 2015, and a further 100 positions by 2016.
The new global centre will serve as a key focal point for Kerry’s customer engagement activities providing strategic customers with access to the Group’s complete breadth and depth of technologies, scientific research, and innovation and applications expertise across food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets.
"This is the largest single investment in food innovation ever by a company in Ireland, and puts Ireland firmly at the forefront of global food innovation," said the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD.
The new centre is located on a 28 acre site in the Millennium Business Park, Naas.
Frank Ryan, CEO, Enterprise Ireland said, "Food is Ireland's number one export sector and critically important to our economy and to export-led growth. This centre…will underpin Ireland's world-wide reputation in food innovation and secure our standing as a world leader in the food industry."
"Through the Food Health Ireland programme, UCD has worked with the Kerry Group and other global food companies in Ireland to develop functional foods. There is potential to build on this and create a global hub for functional food research and education in this country," said, Professor Des Fitzgerald, UCD Vice-President for Research.
UCD’s BSc Food Science programme is the largest in the country with over 50 students expected to graduate the programme each year over the next 4 years.
According to Professor Dolores O’Riordan, UCD Institute of Food and Health, the programme is specifically designed to develop graduates with the knowledge, practical and transferable skills required by the global food industry, “it is grounded in the basic sciences and provides students with opportunities for work placement in industry and self directed new product development projects.”
Kerry Group, the global ingredients & flavours and consumer foods group, has 150 manufacturing facilities in 25 countries and employs 24,000 globally.
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