Givaudan has invested CHF 5 million in an expansion of its Flavor Innovation Centre (FIC) in Singapore. The FIC is home to the Asia Pacific (APAC) campus of the Givaudan Flavour School, which is training the next generation of flavorists in the region, and the APAC Academy which supports continuous learning. The expanded Singapore center will include a new fully integrated culinary space for concept development, as well as new or expanded savory, bakery, confectionery, beverage and dairy facilities to serve all market sectors. The investment enhances the company's innovation capabilities in APAC, facilitating a regional focus on applied innovation, collaboration and knowledge sharing, to complement its global network. Within the FIC flavorists will leverage the latest ingredients and technologies to develop holistic customer solutions that can go straight to market. Givaudan Chief Executive Officer, Gilles Andrier said: "The expansion of the Singapore Flavor Innovation Centre supports our 2020 strategy of investment in high growth markets, and builds on our recent developments in Nantong, Japan; Karachi, Pakistan, and Pune in India. It demonstrates our continuing commitment to growing with our customers and providing them with differentiated flavor solutions for consumer preferred products that meet local market needs." These new facilities mean the company is ideally placed to address regional trends such as the needs of a middle class concerned with health and wellness but without wanting to compromise on taste.