Innovative food manufacturers and food service operators in Australia can now enjoy the benefits of a purpose-designed new R&D facility launched by leading inclusions pioneer Pecan Deluxe Candy for customers across the APAC region.
The new facility is based in the popular Sukhumvit area in Bangkok, near to the Gateway Shopping Mall which is famed for its range of Japanese and Korean food outlets that provide inspiration to local and visiting foodies. Moreover, the building overlooks one of the city’s biggest and most exciting street markets where employees can draw inspiration from the dishes and produce on offer and apply this to their work. The neighbouring Ekamai Skytrain Station ensures easy access both to local destinations as well as locations further afield, and Suvarnabhumi Airport is just a short plane hop from Australia.
Pecan Deluxe’s new facility is designed especially for product development and ideation, making the most of a spacious fully fitted kitchen equipped to create new and exciting products for ice cream, beverages and food service in particular. This new development hub is the perfect destination for Australian companies looking for inspiration – especially as Australia is itself a hotbed of innovation, not just following trends from the rest of the world but creating them anew and often with the influence of Asian themes and flavours.
Pecan Deluxe has forged an unrivalled reputation for innovation across the world and can be relied upon to come up with creative and delicious solutions that will work in a high-volume production environment. The food tailor already supplies specialised ingredients to the Australian market that reflect indigenous flavours like lemon aspen and finger lime, with products including lemon candy clusters, lime candy sprinkles and a pineapple lime sauce.
With video conferencing and other on-site facilities available, customers can join the Pecan Deluxe R&D team for Customer Innovation Days or host their own creative sessions on the premises, with the aim of producing the ‘next big thing’ for the Australian food market. Also enjoying their new offices are the company’s sales, purchasing and customer service teams.
Graham Kingston, managing director EMEA and APAC, commented: “We know that Asian food is highly popular in Australia and many of our most recent product developments for Australian customers have been influenced by a combination of Asian and Australian flavours and textures. I’m delighted with our new R&D hub in Bangkok and visitors are too, since it’s well located and it provides everything that a food company could wish for in terms of equipment, an inspirational view – and of course one of the most talented NPD teams in this part of the world.”
Pecan Deluxe was originally founded as an ice cream business, hence its outstanding reputation in the sector. In Australia the food tailor works with trusted distribution specialist Hawkins Watts, which already has established supply relationships with many blue-chip food companies across the country. All Pecan Deluxe products – which include praline nuts, cookie dough, chocolate clusters, brownie pieces and a variety of sauces & toppings (MOQs apply)- are made using high quality ingredients in ISO certified facilities. The company is constantly innovating to develop new flavour and texture options.