Translations

ROQUETTE develops its innovation culture

6. Clients and consumers

Client and consumer health and safety

Sector Food-processing

Year 2016

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Roquette is a French group, with an industrial presence on 3 continents with 21 production sites. Its business is that of processing plant-based raw materials. With a worldwide presence, Roquette offers its customers a range of 700 products and solutions in the Human Nutrition, Animal Nutrition, Pharmaceutical-Cosmetology, Paper-Cardboard, Chemical-Bioindustry sectors. 10% of turn-over is devoted to R&D and industrial capital.

The Group's R&D activities represent more than 300 people and are based on its 6 Application Development Centres around the world (USA, France, Italy, India, China and Japan).

Objectives

Through innovation and diversification, Roquette is determined to continuously break new ground,
Create new products and new solutions suited to consumers' needs:
- Create sustainable nutritional solutions for the nutritional and health benefit of consumers,
- Offer sustainable biosourced alternatives to substitute or supplement the range of existing fossil chemical compounds,
Enhance and increase the expertise of worldwide teams by promoting expertise networks within and outside the company.

APPROACH

Since the 1950s, innovation has been a source of development and growth for the Roquette Group. In recent years, R&D has evolved from a secretive culture to innovation that is open to outside influences. Extensive research contracts with universities, laboratories, private and public partners worldwide make it possible to conduct studies and research in complementary areas of expertise and aim for a shorter time-to-market.

In parallel, the Group makes use of synergistic action between the Sales-Marketing and application laboratories, thus benefiting from greater proximity with customers to respond to their expectations and market trends. The innovation strategy of the Roquette Group is developed in 2 areas: Nutrition Health and Plant-based chemistry

- Nutrition-Health, creating nutritional and sustainable solutions. It addresses the specific nutritional requirements of populations and offers innovative solutions based on carbohydrates, fiber, protein, fat, etc. It is supported by results validated by clinical studies and recognized experts.

Example: Roquette launched a research program dedicated to plant-based proteins. This objective is to offer customers a range of plant-based proteins meeting their expectations in terms of functional and nutritional benefits, as alternatives to animal proteins.

- Plant-based chemistry, in line with an economic and environmental performance policy via the use of plant resources. It offers new biosourced chemical intermediates with enhanced properties and functions, suitable for substituting or supplementing the range of existing chemical compounds.

Example of new polycarbonates based on isosorbide, a bio-based diol,: Roquette is developping and improving the techonology processes for the production of isosorbide grades. The new isosorbide-based, bisphenol A-free polycarbonates are intended, for example, for the automobile, construction and high-tech industries.

Best Practice identified by World Forum for a Responsible Economy in 2012 and updated in 2015 to reflect its evolution.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Addressing customer expectations,
Innovative corporate image :

- 2010 and 2013: Ringier award ( China) for innovation and technology

- 2011: “Biomaterial of the year 2011” award ( Germany).

- 2013: FIE (Europe) Most Innovative Ingredient of the Year

- 2014: Launching of a new microalgae factory

Benefits

300 researchers assigned to R&D,
Addressing the needs of citizens/consumers who are increasingly concerned for their health, well-being and environment,
Contribution to the development of plant –based chemistry in response to the depletion of oil supplies.