Sara Lee is working to meet these goals in its renovated 50,000-sq.-ft. building near its headquarters in Chicago. Opened in October 1999, the new facility is home to R&D, engineering, packaging, supply chain management, marketing, sales and finance for Sara Lee Branded Foods. "The purpose of this new facility is to emphasize new product and technology development," states Paul Bernthal, senior vice president, R&D.
In the past year, Sara Lee Refrigerated Foods introduced sliced deli meats and cheeses. Sara Lee Bakery introduced Sara Lee Carrot Cake Bites and Sara Lee Calzone Creations. "This new facility fosters an environment that results in increased speed to market and more creative, efficient product development," says Bernthal.