JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Culinary and food science company Darifair Foods broke ground on a new, 47,500-square-foot corporate headquarters and innovation center in Jacksonville, Fla.

The facility will house the company’s marketing, sales, customer service, research and development, finance, supply chain and IT functions with socially distanced workstations. The innovation center will feature a research and development lab, a working kitchen and separate show kitchen, a pilot plant, a quality control lab and an integrated sensory and market research department.

The project is a key part of Darifair’s growth strategy since partnering with private equity firm Arbor Investments in 2019, the company said. Construction on the site is expected to be completed late next year.

“This innovation center cements our leadership in the industry,” said Andy Block, chief executive officer at Darifair Foods. “The building will support collaborations between our team and our customers, enabling us to develop and test product-specific applications at unparalleled speed, while delivering unrivaled access to market data and consumer insights so pivotal to product development.”

The ingredients supplier offers solutions for a range of platforms, including dairy, cream systems, sauce creations, flavor systems, dairy alternatives and clean label protein.