The new centre in Heilbronn will be involved in both product and packaging development.

Its main brief is to develop “tasty, convenient and healthy food products using a combination of state-of-the art cooking expertise”. It will leverage the expertise of both international chefs and technical food product developers.

Particular foci will be use of plant derived ingredients, new drying processes, flavour technology, and new ways of shaping and forming products and filling containers.

Knorr is Unilever’s biggest brand of foods, and has a global turnover of €4bn. Others include Unox Cup-a-Soup, Pfanni, Colman’s, Maizena and Pot Noodles.