IMCD reopens modernised Cologne food & nutrition Lab 

GERMANY – IMCD has officially reopened its fully modernised Food & Nutrition application laboratory in Cologne, marking a significant investment in technical infrastructure for Germany’s food and beverage industry.  

The upgraded facility now operates as part of a newly established life science hub, bringing together food and nutrition, pharmaceutical, and beauty and personal care laboratories at a single location for the first time. 

The consolidation is designed to strengthen IMCD’s ability to support manufacturers facing increasingly complex formulation and innovation demands. By housing three specialist laboratories under one roof, the company aims to enhance collaboration across disciplines and provide more integrated technical, application and regulatory support to customers. 

According to IMCD, the expanded capabilities will help manufacturers with recipe development, formulation optimisation, troubleshooting and regulatory guidance, as well as cross-category innovation. These services are becoming more critical as brands respond to shifting consumer expectations around taste, texture, nutritional value and functional performance. 

Daniel Kany, business unit manager for food and nutrition at IMCD Germany, said the new life science hub represents a major step forward in customer collaboration.  

He noted that the integrated environment enables interdisciplinary product development while offering food and beverage manufacturers access to advanced application support, technical consulting and regulatory expertise aimed at delivering market-ready solutions. 

The Cologne Food & Nutrition Laboratory is equipped to support a wide range of applications, including bakery, beverages, confectionery, dairy, edible oils and fats, fruits and vegetables, savoury products and nutrition-focused formulations.  

As part of IMCD’s global laboratory network, the site combines international expertise with solutions tailored to the specific needs of the German market. 

Local technical teams focus on taste optimisation, texture enhancement, nutritional improvement and functional performance. These capabilities are intended to help manufacturers shorten development timelines and improve overall product quality in a competitive market environment. 

The new hub also incorporates IMCD’s Pharmaceutical Technical Centre, which has been operating in Cologne for more than ten years. The centre supports the development of solid, semi-solid and liquid dosage forms and offers expertise in excipients, flavour masking and regulatory compliance. This knowledge is increasingly relevant as food and nutrition products continue to converge with health-oriented formats. 

In addition, the Beauty & Personal Care Laboratory at the site supports formulation work in skincare, sun care, haircare and cosmetics, providing prototype development, application testing and training aligned with emerging trends. 

IMCD expects the co-location of these laboratories to drive cross-disciplinary innovation through shared equipment, a test kitchen and closer collaboration between technical teams.  

Katja Wilmes, application technologist for food and nutrition, said the modern equipment and interdisciplinary setup allow the company to support demanding formulations more effectively, whether improving taste and mouthfeel, extending shelf life or enhancing nutritional profiles. 

The expanded Cologne hub offers manufacturers a practical environment for co-developing products, addressing formulation challenges and responding efficiently to evolving market demands. 

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