Over a year ago, Puratos announced the opening of its newest Innovation Center in the up-and-coming Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The company invested $1.5 million into this new 6,700-square-foot facility, Puratos’ sixth innovation center in the United States. Puratos operates 88 such Innovation Centers globally to help reach customers in the more than 100 countries it serves and to spark creativity and innovation among commercial bakery, patisserie and chocolate makers.

The Chicago facility features a 1,650-square-foot bakery with state-of-the-art equipment, chocolate room and much more. The interior design is highly conducive to creative ideation with plenty of space to bring inspirations immediately to the workbench.

The innovation labs are outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment such as Rondo sheeters, ovens, spiral mixers and Koma retarders. The patisserie section includes a Koma blast freezer and chocolate tempering machines. The entire facility is temperature- and humidity-controlled.

Each of the centers Puratos operates globally contains relatively similar equipment. This allows bakers from around the world access and availability to the most modern methods of baking production, while using regional flavors, preferences, spices and ingredients as a springboard for recipe and product development.