Mondelez to invest Rs 100 cr on RDQ hub in India

FMCG firm Mondelez International today said it will invest about USD 15 million (Rs 100 crore) to build a global research, development and quality hub in Thane, Maharashtra.

"This investment is part of the company's global strategy to develop an research, development & quality (RDQ) 'Network of the Future' at nine advantaged locations around the world over the next two years," the company said in a statement.

Mondelez India Foods Pvt Ltd Managing Director Deepak Iyer said: "With a focus on chocolate and beverages, this centre will combine the high-end skills of our local team with global learnings and best practices to develop products and processes for Mondelez International globally." The new India technical centre will employ over 150 scientists, engineers and other specialists who will focus on developing technology platforms for chocolates and beverages, consumer science, packaging and cross-category productivity.

The company said it will "start construction of the Thane facility in December, and the site is expected to be fully operational by mid-2018. The new facility will come up at the site of the previous science and technology centre".