Nestlé officially opened its new research and development (R&D) centre at its Wyeth Nutritionals facility at Askeaton in Co Limerick this week. Following a €27m investment, the new centre will expand on the existing R&D facility at Askeaton, which focuses on developing product innovations for Wyeth’s infant formula and maternal nutrition business.

The Nestlé Wyeth facility at Askeaton produces a range of premium powdered milk-based products for infants, young children and mothers for export to world markets. In 2018, infant formula exports accounted for €1.1bn, or 25%, of Irish dairy exports.

“With this new centre, we will increase the pace of our innovation capacity by enabling our scientists to explore innovative nutritional solutions for the crucial first 1,000 days of life,” said Nestlé’s Thomas Hauser.

Wyeth manufactures about 40,000t of infant formula at its Askeaton plant and sources lactose, skimmed powder and other specialised dairy ingredients from a number of the Irish dairy co-ops.