MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Cherkizovo Group, one of Russia’s largest meat producers, announced an investment of RUB 90 million ($1 million) in a new R&D Innovation Kitchen.

Based at the company’s flagship facility in Moscow, known as the Cherkizovsky Meat Processing Plant, the new kitchen is equipped with professional-grade equipment, a conference hall, a room for open tasting, presentations and workshops, meeting rooms and a sensory lab with a certified taste panel. A video system is in place to record and broadcast presentations and workshops, allowing collaboration between company experts and partners regardless of their location. Additionally, there is a dedicated studio for product photography and videography.

The high-tech space spans approximately 5,382 square feet.

“For us, R&D Innovation Kitchen is first and foremost a space where we can brainstorm creative ideas with partners, develop new products, and provide rapid and expert feedback on these innovations,” said Armen Pogosyan, head of R&D at Cherkizovo Group. “I am confident that this project will drive collaboration in inventing product concepts and move us forward in addressing market and consumer needs.”

A team of architects and designers specializing in commercial kitchen design helped create the R&D Innovation Kitchen within an 18-month timeframe.

The kitchen equipment, which includes ovens, combi steamers, grills, food processors, mixers, cutters, sous vide machines and more, is configured to precisely recreate thermal processing of food at catering facilities and R&D labs of Cherkizovo’s customers.