New Innovation Center Helps Walmart Fine-Tune New Product Launches

It’s important for Walmart to get its grocery offerings just right, because grocery accounts for 56 percent of sales. To accomplish that, the company has opened a 12,000 ft² culinary and innovation center in Arkansas outfitted with 10 kitchens, including replicas of in-store bakery and deli kitchens, as well as stoves, ovens and microwaves like those found in customer homes. A sensory lab provides staff with food and beverage feedback from customers and employees on topics like texture, saltiness, and sweetness. The company shares findings with suppliers, saving money and shortening product launch times.