Last updated on October 17th, 2022 at 05:57 pm
The Chicago-based American Egg Board has launched the Eggcelerator Lab, a network of innovation and insights capabilities, resources and expertise designed to bring new egg-based ideas to market.
“The Eggcelerator Lab is aligned with the American Egg Board’s mission to drive demand for U.S. eggs and egg products, while unlocking new potential value for customers and serving ever-changing consumer needs and desires,” said Emily Metz, president and CEO.
“The lab will put more eggs in front of more people in new ways and will increase opportunities and the size of the market for America’s egg farmers.”
The lab is grounded in research and insights that are driving internal AEB innovation initiatives while also informing clients as they begin the food development journey. Currently, it is engaging with dozens of clients and executing pilot projects across industries, including with CPG manufacturers, restaurant chains and others to help bring new products to market.
“We had a single objective: to develop a breakfast sandwich for a major national retail chain. Rather than having a narrow focus from the start, the American Egg Board’s Eggcelerator Lab team pushed us to look holistically at the entire breakfast category – hot savory sandwiches, wraps and upscale sandwiches,” said Andy Johnson, VP of foodservice sales and marketing at West Liberty Foods.
For two years, the AEB worked to develop the Eggcelerator Lab and ensure the right partnerships are in place, including one with CuliNEX, a clean-label food innovation company. The team is testing several concepts with national restaurant chains and consumer packaged brands, including new on-the-go hot breakfast ideas including sandwiches and breakfast bowls.
Research insights have led to new ways to use technology to create ingredients and new ways to cook eggs. AEB’s internal innovation pipeline is helping unlock industry opportunities that will make an impact on the market.
For more information, visit IncredibleEgg.org/EggceleratorLab.
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