Sabra Dipping Company Opens First-Of-Its-Kind Global "Center of Excellence" R&D Facility, Cooking Up A World Of Possibilities In Dips And Spreads

CHESTERFIELD, Va., April 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabra Dipping Company (www.sabra.com), makers of the country's best-selling hummus, opened the doors to the new Center of Excellence (COE) research and development facility in Chesterfield County, VA today. The Center, which is located on the site of Sabra's hummus manufacturing facility (the world's largest), will further research capabilities and improve Sabra's products in all aspects of food manufacturing and distribution, from agriculture, nutrition and food science to engineering, packaging and product delivery.  The COE supports Sabra and the international venture between PepsiCo and Strauss Group, called Obela. The center is the first-of-its-kind research and development center for refrigerated dips and spreads.

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"We are honored to partner with Obela to push the envelope in research and development, opening a world of possibilities in dips and spreads in terms of innovation, taste, health and more," said Ronen Zohar, CEO of Sabra Dipping Company.  "The potential is as promising as it is delicious."

The Center of Excellence features a state of the art culinary center, research laboratory, ideation space, a pilot plant and hands-on research modules all aimed at enabling the company to develop the highest quality, most delicious dips and spreads.  The Center will house experts in culinary arts, food technology and nutrition, and will conduct groundbreaking research on chickpeas, fruits and vegetables, some of which will be done in conjunction with local VA universities. 

"The Center of Excellence is now home to experts in all areas of food manufacturing and we are eager to put our findings to work as we continue to change the way consumers around the world dip and spread," said Tulin Tuzel, chief technology officer of Sabra/Obela.  "As we build on our heritage to invent the future, we will continue to be inspired by global advances in food production and aim to further our leadership within the category.  This marks a significant step forward in our pursuit to bring the diversity of the world to life through an array of fresh tasting, real and wholesome products."

"Sabra has set the standard for excellence and we are very proud that these products are made in Chesterfield County," said Dorothy Jaeckle, chair of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, earlier today.  "It is so impressive, but not surprising, how quickly Sabra is becoming a household name and leader in the U.S. market."

As Obela looks to expand beyond Mexico and Australia, The Center of Excellence in Virginia will enable Obela to leverage experience from the US market to meet the needs of communities globally.  Obela launched in Mexico in June of 2012 with three varieties of hummus (chipotle, red pepper and plain) and has gained market share quickly. 

Sabra also broke ground today on the next phase of expansion of its existing manufacturing facility, an $86 million investment to meet the continued increasing demands for its hummus. The company expects the addition of capacity will create an estimated additional 140 jobs over the next few years. Sabra currently holds approximately 60% of the refrigerated flavored dips category in the US.

About Sabra Dipping Company, LLC
Sabra Dipping Company, LLC is a leader in the refrigerated dips and spreads category and producer of America's top-selling hummus. Sabra's award-winning hummus, available in more than a dozen flavors, and a wide range of authentic, healthy and vegetarian dips and spreads can be found nationwide in club stores, supermarkets, specialty retailers and through food service. Sabra operates a silver LEED certified factory in Virginia, and in 2011 received an A-Classification from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) audit board for food safety for its California Salsa plant. Find Sabra at www.sabra.com, www.facebook.com/sabra and @Sabra on Twitter.

Sabra Dipping Company was formed as a U.S./Canadian joint venture between Strauss Group and PepsiCo. The Sabra joint venture draws on both Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, and Strauss Group's expertise to continue building this growing business.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales.  Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world.  PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo.  We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate.  For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

Strauss Group
Strauss Group is a multinational food and beverage company headquartered in Israel. Strauss Group is a fast growing international player focused on branded product segments. The corporation is comprised of five core business units: Strauss Israel, Strauss Coffee, Strauss Water, Strauss-PepsiCo fresh dips and spreads, and chocolate chain Max Brenner, and has established strategic partnerships with leading multinationals companies including: PepsiCo and Frito-Lay, Danone, Haier, Virgin and TPG Capital. Strauss Group is Israel's largest food & beverage company, operates in 20 countries and employs 14,000 people globally. In 2012, the group achieved a net revenue of $2.3 billion in turnover with 51% generated by international activities.

Strauss Group concentrates on the two top consumption trends of Health & Wellness and Fun & Indulgence and has implemented them in five core companies: Strauss Israel, Strauss Coffee, PepsiCo-Strauss Fresh Dips & Spreads, Max Brenner and Strauss water.

For more information, please visit www.strauss-group.com and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/StraussGroup.

About Obela – Sabra's success in the U.S inspired Strauss and PepsiCo to promote its success "story" to other regions of the world, extend its reach to new territories and spread the hummus culture worldwide.

In 2011, Obela Global was created as another JV between ‎Strauss and PepsiCo. This partnership enables Obela to leverage its parent companies outstanding reputation, in-depth expertise and ‎extensive international reach to achieve its goals.

SOURCE Sabra Dipping Company, LLC