Equinom’s new R&D center houses all vital departments promoting synergy and efficiency

Image courtesy of Equinom

Equinom, Ltd. (Givat Brenner, Israel) opened a research and development (R&D) center in Kibbutz Givat Brenner to house all its vital departments — biochemistry, applications, sensory, and breeding — under one roof so they can work together throughout the course of seed breeding and development. It provides end-to-end R&D capabilities to accelerate Equinom's efforts to develop the next generation of its non-GMO Smarter Seeds. Plus, the new facility is a restricted vintage building that preserved the original heritage warehouse. 

“We faced a slew of challenges reshaping an antique warehouse into a modern facility,” said Gil Shalev, CEO of Equinom, in press release. “But sustainability plays a big part in Equinom's core values. Our decision to relocate to an old warehouse instead of building an entirely new facility is in line with our commitment to combine traditional treasures with high-tech capabilities.”

The new R&D center contains four state-of-the-art laboratories covering most of the company’s R&D units, including its biochemistry lab, food application lab, high-tech sensory lab, and sensory processing lab. The biochemistry lab allows for full analysis of a seed strain’s nutritional profile with high-throughput capacity and analysis methodology. This process provides a full genotype and phenotype of each crop. The food application lab is crucial for interpreting the needs of the food industry. It can directly incorporate food engineering inputs into Equinom’s breeding technology. 

The sensory lab includes organoleptic tools for improving the design of tastier food products. By applying an advanced electronic nose, Equinom can analyze limitless varieties of seed for thousands of taste compounds, reducing off flavors. The seed processing lab allows for phenotypic analysis that complements the field exploration and analysis. With 4,800 square feet dedicated to seed processing, Equinom is able to increase production up to 50% and accelerate its breeding capabilities.

In addition to establishing a new facility in Israel, Equinom also opened a new facility in Indianapolis for offices and storage. The new site will store planting seeds of sesame, yellow pea, and soybean and function as the Midwest office for the company’s new recruits.