Innovation – the driving force behind growth

The need to raise consumers’ attention and keep it compels brand manufacturers to come out with new products regularly. Launching new products is usually accompanied with strong marketing campaigns. On the other hand, we hear less about the long months of hard work that precede a product launch. Unilever spends more than EUR 900 million globally on research and development every year, and the result is 250-350 patent applications per year. At the moment the company has more than 20,000 patents and patent applications. More than 6,000 people work in their global R&D system, which has 14 centres and 37 regional centres. István Csizmeg, the head of the Hungarian R&D team works in several international projects as the Budapest centre coordinates the work of 6 countries.

For instance, in the laboratories of Dove they developed the NutriumMoistureTM formula, which is clinically proven to reduce the harmful effects of everyday bathing by refilling the skin with lipids; the new technology is used in the Dove Visible Care shower gel product range. Unilever’s Knorr products are constantly adapted to modern expectations. With the Knorr Rafinéria product range the company targets a bit more sophisticated consumers. The innovation phase was preceded by a thorough market survey and local chefs also participated in the work of the R&D team. Knorr products are placed in multi-layer foil bags, which protect them from air, humidity, sunshine and mechanical damage. In cooperation with Dunapack, Unilever started using Tray&Hood type cartons as well.