Mondelēz International, a global food manufacturer, has announced the plans to develop a strategic R&D Centre near Wroclaw. This is another investment from the multinational in Lower Silesia, with two plants already existing in Skarbimierz and one in Bielany Wroclawskie, which give a total of over 1,400 of jobs to people in the region.
Wroclaw as an ideal location
"Wroclaw is an ideal location, and its prestigious technical universities turn out world-class specialists, whom we would like to persuade to work in our new Centre. Wroclaw is also located in the immediate vicinity of our strategic CE markets while the local international airport and roads provide convenient transportation links. The city also proves attractive both to the residents and the entrepreneurs, who can count on the support from local authorities. I'm sure that our collaboration will result in a centre that is both ideal to work and develop professionally for our team," says Rob Hargrove, Senior Vice President RD&Q at Mondelēz International.
The company refuses to reveal where the R&D Centre is going to be located. It is known to be built somewhere near Wroclaw. Małgorzata Babik, Mondelēz Poland Spokesperson, says that several locations are being considered at the moment. Off the record, the centre is likely to be developed in Bielany Wroclawskie.
"The decision from Mondelēz International to launch a global R&D Centre near Wroclaw is good news for the city, and it also confirms that both international and Polish players recognise the Wroclaw metropolitan area both as a convenient location to do business and a real mine of talent that ranges from qualified engineers to academic researchers. Entrepreneurs both manufacture and design and develop their products and services in the region. This in turn translates into the growing number of jobs which provide opportunities for professional growth. We are also happy to see how our production site in Bielany Wrocławskie has developed, and that it is constantly gaining in importance, even after the take-over by Mondelēz International, which took place in 2013,"says Łukasz Czajkowski, Head of the Centre for Business Support at ARAW SA in Wroclaw.
The new Centre to survey customer expectations
The company informs that the main goal of the R&D Centre is to carry out reasearch on its flagship chocolate and biscuit brands such as Milka, Oreo and belVita. The new centre is also to test quality, packaging, customer preferences and expectations and the compliance of its brands with legal regulations concerning food products. Apart from office space, the new centre will be equipped with cutting edge laboratories, furnishings and appliances to perform necessary research.
"We have 7 production sites in Poland, each of which are an active member of its local community, The plan to launch one of our most strategic R&D Centres in Poland confirms how important the Polish market is to Mondelēz International," says Zoltàn Novàk, Managing Director at Mondelēz International in Poland.
The company representatives emphasise that the Centre is both 15 million USD worth of investment and brings 125 new jobs and a number of opportunities to cooperate with external partners. The investment is going to be completed in 2 or 3 years.
About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) is a global snacks producers whose income reached 34 billion USD in 2014 alone. Mondelēz International, which is present 165 countries, is a market leader in the following categories: biscuits, chocolate, chewing gum, sweets, coffee and instant drinks, and the owner of the following billion-dollar brands: Oreo, LU, Nabisco, Cadbury, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka, Trident, Jacobs. Mondelēz International has also been listed in the prestigious top 500 ranking by Standard and Poor's, and is included in the NASDAQ 100 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
Mondelēz International is one of Poland's top producers and the leader in the local food market. Its wide range of snacks includes chocolate brands such as Milka and Alpen Gold, chocolate wafers such as Prince Polo, chocolate bars such as 3BIT, biscuits such as Milka, Oreo, belVita, Petitki, Lubisie, Delicje, San, Łakotki, coffees such as Jacobs, Maxwell House, Carte Noire, Tassimo; and sweets such as Halls.
Mondelēz International in Poland has 7 production sites in the following locations: Bielany Wrocławskie, Skarbimierz, Jankowice, Cieszyn, Jarosław and Płońsk. The company gives jobs to ca. 3,500 people.
