SunOpta, a manufacturer of private label and some branded products as well as ingredients, this spring opened a new 65,000-sq.-ft. global headquarters and eco-powered innovation center in Eden Prairie, Minn.
The space features a pilot plant and a research and development center eight times the size of its previous location. It’s a key investment to achieving strategic business and growth goals, including doubling the plant-based business by 2025.
“Our growth ambitions required this move. We’ve grown our plant-based business by more than $100 million over the last two years through a focus on innovation and new customer development, and we expect this pace of growth to continue,” said CEO Joe Ennen. “This new facility, with a full-scale pilot plant and a huge expansion of the research and development space, will allow us to aggressively develop new products and new customers.”
The building has many sustainable best practices, including layering landscape both inside and out as well as generating more than 30% of its electricity needs from a large solar array. Other features:
- Nearly 13,000 sq. ft. of renewable bamboo flooring and 920 LED light fixtures
- 630 plantings, six indoor trees, a living plant wall and six skylights to bring in nature
- Replicas of customer barista bars for accurate research and development
- Employee amenities to inspire teamwork, including integrated office technology for hybrid meetings and a fitness studio with classes taught by employees
- Electric vehicle charging stations
Coming later this spring will be 36,000 sq. ft. of solar paneling (743 panels) and outdoor amenities, including: five outdoor garden planters for employees to grow organic produce, grills, a spacious deck with pergolas.
SunOpta has a global workforce of more than 1,400 employees across 14 locations in three North American countries, including more than 150 at its new location.
