Givaudan, MISTA, and Bühler celebrate opening of new extrusion hub at MISTA in San Francisco

Givaudan, the global leader in Taste & Wellbeing, MISTA, the world’s leading food innovation platform, and Bühler, a global technology partner for the food, feed, and mobility industries, announce the opening of a state-of-the-art extrusion hub at the MISTA Innovation Center in San Francisco. The opening of this new facility advances MISTA’s capabilities in driving food innovation and highlights Givaudan’s and Bühler’s commitment to supporting the transformation of the food system.

This collaborative effort between Givaudan and Bühler offers companies the opportunity to conduct innovative and effective product development trials for their extruded products. Equipped with a 30mm twin-screw Bühler extruder, the hub enables both high moisture extrusion, such as plant-based meat production, and low moisture extrusion, including snacks and cereals. Unlike smaller benchtop extruders, the results obtained at the facility can be translated to full-scale production equipment. With an output of up to 50 kilograms per hour, companies can now explore new possibilities in product development with ease.

Fabio Campanile, Global Head of Science and Technology, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing, highlighted the company’s commitment to plant-based alternatives, innovation, and the importance of partnerships. “Adding extrusion capabilities at MISTA expands our vast innovation network and further demonstrates our commitment to the alternative protein space. We believe that by working together and leveraging our collective expertise, we can continue driving the development of the food industry to deliver sustainable and delicious food experiences for consumers around the world.”

The hub at MISTA is the latest addition to the Global Innovation Network being built by Givaudan, Bühler, and others, further solidifying the collective dedication to driving innovation and supporting its customers worldwide. Other innovation facilities include Givaudan’s Zurich Innovation Centre, the Protein Innovation Centre in Singapore, and the Tropical Food Innovation Lab in Brazil.

The hub launch coincided with the bi-annual MISTA in Action programme, held at the end of March. This event brought together industry executives, leaders, and start-up companies from around the world to network and explore the latest collaborative advances in the food industry. Attendees included representatives from consumer-packaged goods companies, ingredient players, equipment manufacturers, service providers, and premier funding companies in food tech.

During the event, Ian Roberts, CTO at Bühler, delivered an inspiring keynote speech, emphasising the importance of collaboration and technological advancements in shaping the future of the food industry. “Collaboration is key to building a sustainable future for food with the goal of feeding the expected 10 billion world inhabitants by the year 2050. The MISTA facility demonstrates that these collaborations provide real results. The partnership with MISTA, Givaudan, and Bühler is providing a world-class technology platform for food innovators to develop and scale the protein sources that will sustainably nourish the world’s growing population,” said Ian Roberts.

“MISTA acts as a catalyst for companies to discover, integrate, and evolve new ways of working that will help power their innovation engine and accelerate the transformation of the food system,” said Scott May, founder and Head of MISTA. “Through the nodal network, unique collaborations, access to new technologies and domain expertise, MISTA empowers companies to re-imagine innovation and drive positive change for companies and the industry. We are confident the addition of extrusion capabilities will help generate and accelerate many of the great-tasting food solutions needed to ensure a sustainable food future.”

About MISTA
MISTA’s mission is to transform the global food system to meet the needs of the future...an abundant future that nourishes and delights people and planet. We are a global nodal network and innovation platform consisting of members ranging from large, established companies to new food technology start-ups. We practice curated collaboration by bringing companies together in a trust-based ecosystem to work in new ways, inspiring innovative, regenerative solutions that accelerate the changes required to solve challenges facing our global food system. For more information go to www.mistafood.com.  

About Givaudan
Givaudan is a global leader in Fragrance & Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing. We celebrate the beauty of human experience by creating for happier, healthier lives with love for nature. Together with our customers we deliver food experiences, craft inspired fragrances and develop beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good. In 2023, Givaudan employed 16,260 people worldwide and achieved CHF 6.9 billion in sales with a free cash flow of 13.3%. With a heritage that stretches back over 250 years, we are committed to driving long-term, purpose-led growth by improving people’s health and happiness and increasing our positive impact on nature. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Discover more at www.givaudan.com

About Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing
Powered by innovation and creativity, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing aims to shape the future of food by becoming the co-creation partner of choice to its customers. Built on its global leadership position in flavours and taste, the Company goes beyond to create food experiences that do good and feel good, for body, mind and planet. With an expanded portfolio of products across flavours, taste, functional and nutritional solutions and a deep knowledge of the food ecosystem, Givaudan’s passion is to collaborate with customers and partners to develop game changing innovations in food and beverage. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Learn more about how we are shaping the future of food at www.givaudan.com/taste-wellbeing

About Bühler
Bühler is driven by its purpose of creating innovations for a better world, balancing the needs of economy, humanity, and nature in all its decision-making processes. Billions of people come into contact with Bühler technologies as they cover their basic needs for food and mobility every day. Two billion people each day enjoy foods produced on Bühler equipment; and one billion people travel in vehicles manufactured using parts produced with Bühler solutions. Countless people wear eyeglasses, use smart phones, and read newspapers and magazines – all of which depend on Bühler process technologies and solutions. Having this global relevance, Bühler is in a unique position to turn today’s global challenges into sustainable business.
As a technology partner for the food, feed, and mobility industries, Bühler has committed to having solutions ready to multiply by 2025 that reduce energy, waste, and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers. It also proactively collaborates with suppliers to reduce climate impacts throughout the value chain. In its own operations, Bühler has developed a pathway to achieve a 60% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (Greenhouse Gas Protocol scope 1+2, against a 2019 baseline).
Bühler spends up to 5% of turnover on research and development annually to improve both the commercial and sustainability performance of its solutions, products, and services. In 2023, some 12,500 employees generated a turnover of CHF 3.0 billion. As a Swiss family-owned company with a history spanning 164 years, Bühler is active in 140 countries around the world and operates a global network of 105 service stations, 30 manufacturing sites, and Application & Training Centers in 25 locations. www.buhlergroup.com

For further information please contact
Eve Landen, Media Manager 
Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing
E eve.landen@givaudan.com

Nick Manley, Chief Storyteller
Bühler North America
M +1 727 458 5871
E nick.manley@buhlergroup.com

Dalen Jacomino Panto, Media Relations Manager
Bühler AG, 9240 Uzwil, Switzerland
T +41 71 955 37 57
M +41 79 900 53 88
E dalen.jacomino_panto@buhlergroup.com