Cargill Protein opened the doors to its new state-of-the-art North American protein headquarters in Wichita, Kan.

The building was created as a destination to retain and recruit top talent and immerse customers in innovative culinary and food sensory experiences. Designed for collaboration and growth, the headquarters connects Cargill's 800 Wichita-based employees with 28,000 additional colleagues across North America and more than three dozen protein production facilities in the United States and Canada. 

"We want to help make Wichita the Silicon Valley of protein, bringing together the best minds, innovation and technology in the industry," says Brian Sikes, president of Cargill Protein.

Crowdsourced solutions from employees guided the design of the 188,000-square-foot building, which includes outdoor Wi-Fi lounges, game tables, grills, a fire pit and flexible workspaces with easy access to shopping and culinary experiences in Wichita's Old Town District.

Benefits of the space include:

• An immersive technology conference room enables employees to collaborate easier and faster with colleagues in global locations from Buenos Aires to Geneva to Shanghai.
• A presentation kitchen connects customers and visitors to food solutions and inspired culinary innovation.
• A sensory center allows Cargill and its customers to conduct product research, focus groups and product testing.
• Dedicated areas to explore sustainability across the protein supply chain.
• Capacity to accommodate 950 employees.

"Our customers rely on us to bring insights to the table and anticipate what consumers need and want," says Sikes. "This building, along with our existing Cargill Innovation Center, creates a destination for customers to tap into our expertise and experience the future of protein."

Cargill announced the project in October 2017.