Cargill Opens Protein Headquarters

The new state-of-the-art building was created as a destination to retain and recruit top talent

With a new headquarters of its North American protein operations, Cargill is focused on inspiring the future of protein. The new state-of-the-art building was created as a destination to retain and recruit top talent and immerse customers in innovative culinary and food sensory experiences. Designed for collaboration and growth, the headquarters connects Cargill's 800 Wichita-based employees with 28,000 additional colleagues across North America and more than three dozen protein production facilities in the US and Canada.

"We want to help make Wichita the Silicon Valley of protein, bringing together the best minds, innovation and technology in the industry," said Cargill Protein President Brian Sikes.

Crowdsourced solutions from employees guided the design of the 188,000-square-foot building, which includes outdoor Wi-Fi lounges, game tables, grills and a firepit and flexible workspaces with easy access to shopping and culinary experiences in Wichita's Old Town District.

Benefits of the space include:

• An immersive technology conference room that enables employees to collaborate easier and faster with their colleagues in global locations from Buenos Aires to Geneva to Shanghai.
• A presentation kitchen to connect customers and visitors to food solutions and inspired culinary innovation.
• A sensory center that allows Cargill and its customers to conduct product research, focus groups and product testing.
• Dedicated areas to explore sustainability across the protein supply chain.
• Capacity to accommodate 950 employees.

Consumers are actively seeking everything from enhanced focus and better information processing, to reduced stress, improved mood, faster learning, effective memory, better adaptability, and enhanced multitasking. This session will review the science behind these ingredients and how they can be added to your formulations to tap into the cognitive support wave.

Remember a child’s kaleidoscope? You put your eye to a cylinder fitted inside with angled mirrors and—as soon as you twist the end of the cylinder—there’s a changing pattern with the shifting of small pieces of colored glass. That’s also something of an apt description for the plant-based food and beverage market, which continues to capture attention as it grows and shifts.