Open innovation speeding health and wellness transition

Opening up the innovation process to outside expertise is increaingly seen as a way to advance and cut costs.

At NutrEvent in Lille, Stephen Daniells talked to Sandra Einerhand, Director health & nutritional sciences, EMEA, Tate & Lyle about how open innovation has helped a company traditionally rooted in commodities rapidly add to its health and wellness portfolio.

She explains that the key to controlling intellectual property is for the partnership to be win-win. Both Tate & Lyle and its partner need to see benefits and synergies.

An example is the combination of polydextrose with a green tea extract from a Canadian company. For Tate & Lyle, this extends its offering in the health and wellness sector; for the partner, it introduces green tea to more people - including those who may not appreciate the unsweetened bitter taste.