DeWITT — The Byrne Innovation Center, a new research and development (R&D) facility, has been part of the operations at Byrne Dairy, Inc. for about a month. The company formally opened the center on Sept. 11. Located next door to Byrne’s flagship plant in DeWitt, the Byrne Innovation Center houses new product development, shelf-life testing, […]
DeWITT — The Byrne Innovation Center, a new research and development (R&D) facility, has been part of the operations at Byrne Dairy, Inc. for about a month. The company formally opened the center on Sept. 11. Located next door to Byrne’s flagship plant in DeWitt, the Byrne Innovation Center houses new product development, shelf-life testing, sensory evaluation, analytical testing and other services for Byrne’s customers. The Byrne Innovation Center is located within the firm’s Lyons Street conference center, an existing building just a short walk from Byrne’s facility in DeWitt, Ashley Casey, sales & marketing specialist with Byrne Dairy, tells CNYBJ in an email. The R&D team and other Byrne employees have offices at the Lyons Street location, she adds. Byrne Dairy renovated a portion of the space to accommodate a “state-of-the-art” kitchen with testing capabilities, per Casey. “This enhances our customers’ experience and assists our R&D team as they continue to innovate for Byrne’s future,” she says. “The creation of the Byrne Innovation Center will allow Byrne to explore new avenues in the field of dairy and other beverages,” Khilendra Bhanduriya, director of research and development for Byrne Dairy, said in a statement. “The Byrne Innovation Center is a testament to our R&D team’s hard work in building a robust product portfolio for both extended shelf-life and shelf-stable dairy,” Carl Byrne, president and CEO of Byrne Dairy, added. “The new facility positions Byrne and our customers for continued success by improving products consumers already love and introducing new items.” The company says Byrne’s R&D team is currently developing various beverages to support the growing demand for Byrne’s aseptic (shelf-stable) lines. The department is also continuing a study of reducing sugar in low-fat flavored milk for schools, an effort funded with a grant from the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center.
About Byrne Dairy
Byrne Dairy Inc. is a fourth-generation, family-owned dairy and beverage processor. The company currently has three manufacturing facilities in Central New York. They include an extended shelf-life (ESL) and ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurization plant in DeWitt; a manufacturing facility located in Cortlandville; and an ice cream center located in Syracuse. Byrne also has warehouse facilities in Syracuse and East Syracuse, and the company’s corporate headquarters office is in LaFayette.