CARTERET, NJ. — International extract and flavor supplier Virginia Dare has relocated its headquarters to Carteret, NJ, from Brooklyn, NY.
The company said its new home includes a dedicated customer lab for collaborating, labs and equipment for its flavorists, production areas for prototypes and much more.
Other features of the facility highlighted by Virginia Dare include a world class sensory center for testing new products, a tasting booth for gathering flavor insights, modern prep kitchens and “ample capacity to accommodate continued growth toward the next century of flavor innovation.”
The flavor company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023, just months ago opened a product development lab in Pasadena, Calif., late in its centennial.
Virginia Dare also shared that it hired two industry veterans in the past several months, bringing on Nicole Staniec and Eduardo Villagómez. The vice president of beverage products, Staniec previously was vice president, beverages, North America, for dsm-firmenich, and possesses close to 30 years of experience in the beverage industry. The vice president of vanilla products, Villagómez’s two decades in the flavor industry include four-plus years as director, global vanilla product management, for IFF.
“Our added capabilities at the new headquarters, additional location in California and experienced new hires will allow us to simplify and enhance our in-person collaboration with customers from coast to coast,” said Howard Smith Jr., president of Virginia Dare. “Virginia Dare has built a legacy over the past century of providing high-quality flavors and extracts, and now we’re positioned to continue serving the industry into the future.”
