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Published on 16.07.2024 
In the early 1990s, the American brand Häagen-Dazs, which is part of the General Mills group, set out to conquer the European market.
After analyzing several destinations, 3 locations were short-listed:
In 1992, the ice cream giant chose Hauts-de-France for 3 reasons:
Building on these strengths, the Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines plant has become a strategic site for the Group and has benefited from numerous investments over the years.
New site in Tilloy
1992
Launch of the first ice cream bars
1993
Launch of the mini tub format
1994
Häagen-Dazs now exporting to Asia
2000
Häagen-Dazs now exporting to Latin America
2004
€9m investment to modernize the site with the installation of a new production line and pasteurizer
2013
Häagen-Dazs now exporting to Australia
2016
17 M€ investment for a new production line
2018
€30m investment to create a new production line and set up Häagen-Dazs’ worldwide R&D center (Arras Technical Center).
2022
The plant, located in the heart of one of France’s major food-processing regions, now produces over 75 million liters of ice cream a year.
80% of this production is exported to over 90 countries in Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.
French manufacturing is an undeniable advantage for us. Obviously for the French market, as well as for the Asian market, which accounts for 30% of our production and for whom Made-in-France is a guarantee of quality and excellence.
Nicolas Cayeux, Director of the Häagen-Dazs plant in Arras
To mark the site’s 30th anniversary in 2022, the General Mills group decided to invest €13 million in a global R&D center.
“In the Hauts-de-France region, we have all the ingredients we need to develop our capacity for innovation, thanks in particular to the local ecosystem. “
Francoise Bechu, Director of the Häagen-Dazs global R&D center
📥 Download the full interview with Françoise Bechu
In addition to its local roots, this new Häagen-Dazs R&D center will contribute fully to the influence and attractiveness of the Hauts-de-France region by developing a hub of innovation, expertise and diversified skills within the region.
The Häagen-Dazs Arras Technical Center is home to an international team of 50 employees from 11 different countries.
To foster creativity and continuous experimentation, it features a pilot plant that allows new products to be tested on line at any time without disrupting production, an analysis laboratory and a creative kitchen.
Its goal: to create the ice creams of tomorrow, for both the mass retail network and its own boutique network, thanks to:
Häagen-Dazs has made a significant contribution to the region’s economic development.
In addition to its regular investments to increase its production capacity (from €5 to €10 million per year), the American group actively contributes to:
The site’s social and environmental approach is also one of its top priorities.
Having reduced its energy consumption by 40% over the past 10 years, the plant is now aiming for “zero fossil fuel energy” by 2026.
The group is also working to recycle the water it generates during production, and to achieve 100% recyclable packaging by 2025.
These challenges are fully in line with the Rev3 regional transformation dynamic.
Every 3 years, Nord France Invest organizes an awards ceremony to highlight international companies that have made major investments in the region.
At the 5th edition, Häagen-Dazs won the Innovative Investment Trophy for the creation of its global R&D center.
This prize is awarded to a company for its investment in a disruptive technology or for the development of particularly innovative production processes.
This distinction underlines the contribution of the General Mills brand to the region’s international reputation and the development of local innovation.
“General Mills has been firmly rooted in the region for 30 years, so it was natural for us to set up our global R&D center here, in Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, in order to continue strengthening ties with the region and offer new career opportunities to our teams, while remaining close to our production center to maintain a certain agility. “
Françoise Bechu, Director of the Häagen-Dazs global R&D center
Dorothée Lepoutre
Rémi Benamer
Dorothée (Project Director) and Rémi (Project Manager) are your privileged contacts for any project relating to the food industry.
They will be happy to provide you with support throughout your development project in the Hauts-de-France region.
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