Unilever unveils plans for $270m US innovation centre

Unilever has announced plans to establish a new global innovation centre in the US, focused on research and development for its beauty, wellbeing and personal care brands.

The purpose-built facility will be located in New Haven, Connecticut, within a growing biosciences and technology hub that includes major universities and research organisations. According to the company, the centre is intended to accelerate product development and support innovation across its global portfolio.

The site will bring together multiple stages of the innovation process under one roof, including formulation, fragrance development, packaging design and consumer insights.

Unilever said the centre will also incorporate technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing to support areas including materials discovery, product testing and development.

Herrish Patel, President of Unilever USA and CEO of Personal Care North America, said: "This new centre is where we'll innovate at the intersection of science, technology and culture. As the US becomes a centre of gravity for Unilever, we’re harnessing the best of American innovation to match our growth ambition here in the US and around the world."

The facility will include a global centre for skincare and cleansing, alongside a polycultural skin and hair centre of excellence focused on developing products for a wider range of consumer needs.

Plans also include a human performance lab for on-site testing of ingestible products and research into human physiology, as well as a fragrance house where perfumers, chemists and packaging designers will collaborate during the development process. A packaging innovation studio will be used to develop and test packaging concepts using consumer feedback.

Unilever said access to research institutions and businesses in the New Haven area would support work in fields including skin biology, the microbiome and neuroscience, with a focus on understanding how sensory experiences influence consumer behaviour and wellbeing.

The company plans to invest approximately $270 million in the project over the long term, including $50 million in capital expenditure. Around 300 employees are expected to work at the centre once it becomes fully operational, which is projected for spring 2029.

The investment forms part of Unilever’s broader strategy to focus on beauty, personal care and wellbeing categories through science-led innovation and operational development.

It follows the completion of a £150 million investment at Unilever’s Port Sunlight campus in Wirral, UK, where the company has upgraded manufacturing and research facilities.

The Port Sunlight site, which produces brands including Persil, Comfort, Cif, TRESemmé and Lynx, has undergone improvements to its Home Care manufacturing operations, alongside the development of a new automated distribution centre aimed at improving logistics and supply chain efficiency.

Unilever said the investment is intended to strengthen its UK supply chain by integrating manufacturing and distribution more closely at a single location.