Unilever is focusing on innovation in the United States and announcing a major investment to accelerate the growth of its beauty, personal care, and wellbeing brands. The group has unveiled plans for a new global research and development center in New Haven, Connecticut, which will become one of the company's key global innovation hubs.
The new facility, specifically designed to house advanced research, will be responsible for developing the next generation of premium products for Unilever's key brands. The goal is to reduce development times and bring new personal care, beauty, and wellness solutions to market more quickly.
The center will be located in the heart of one of America's most important bioscience ecosystems, an area home to leading universities, research centers, and hundreds of innovative companies. This strategic location will allow Unilever researchers to collaborate with leading technological and scientific partners.
Among the company's distinctive features are the use of artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies, tools that will accelerate the discovery of new materials, testing, and product design. According to the company, these technologies will enable a deeper understanding of consumer needs and the development of increasingly effective formulas.
The new hub will integrate all phases of the innovation process under one roof: from product formulation to fragrance creation, from packaging design to consumer research. This approach aims to foster collaboration between different teams and further accelerate the development cycle.
The center will house a global hub dedicated to skincare and cleansing, a center of excellence for multicultural skin and hair, a human performance lab, and a new “Fragrance House,” where perfumers, chemists, and designers will collaborate from the earliest stages of projects.
A study dedicated to packaging innovation is also planned, which will allow for real-time consumer feedback to be collected to develop more attractive packaging both on physical shelves and in digital channels.
The facility will also allow for in-depth research in areas such as skin biology, the microbiome, and the so-called skin-brain axis, as well as leveraging the latest neuroscience applications to understand the relationship between fragrances, textures, active ingredients, and emotional well-being.
"This new center will be the place where scientific innovation, technology, and culture meet," said Herrish Patel, president of Unilever USA and CEO of Personal Care North America. "The United States is becoming a center of gravity for Unilever, and we want to leverage the best of American innovation to support our global growth."
Richard Slater, the group's Chief R&D Officer, emphasized how the project represents a quantum leap in terms of integration and speed, thanks to the combination of scientific research, design, sensory experiences, and artificial intelligence support.
Unilever plans a long-term investment of $270 million for the project, including $50 million in capital expenditures. This is the company's largest investment in research and development in the United States in the last forty years.
When fully operational in spring 2029, the center will employ around 300 people and will represent one of the pillars of Unilever's strategy to consolidate its leadership in the beauty, personal care and wellbeing segments globally.
