SINGAPORE: Diageo, the alcoholic drinks company, has expanded its Asia-Pacific operations by opening a new technical centre that is charged with leading on innovation, development of new products and quality assurance.

The flagship technical site in Singapore is intended to boost the company's liquid and packaging development capabilities. It will also support the company's brand change and innovation initiatives in Asia, a market which Diageo expects to account for 20% of its global revenues going forward.

Investment in the centre, which is to employ 30 people, forms part of Diageo's growth strategy that has an emphasis on the production of high quality brands. The facility is already working on the launch of Johnnie Walker Odyssey, a super-premium off-shoot of the established Johnnie Walker brand.

Joy Rice, Diageo's supply chain director for the Asia-Pacific region, said the centre would promote agility, faster response times, quality and collaboration in the company's supply chain.

"It will be a powerful asset to help us respond at pace to the needs of this fast-paced region and effectively capture the super premium opportunity," she said.

Meanwhile, Gerry O'Hagan, Diageo's operational director, noted that spirits consumption in Asia-Pacific is the highest globally and the region accounts for one-third of the world's wealthiest people.

He said: "For a number of years, Diageo has been aligning its strategy and investment in infrastructure, such as this new centre in Singapore, to realise the potential of new emerging markets and the growth in premium quality products and luxury brands in Asia."

The centre is the company's third supply facility to open as part of its Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore and brings Diageo's regional workforce to 2,400.

It also forms part of the company's global growth plan, opening just two months after a similar technical centre was launched in Panama.

Data sourced from Campaign Asia, drinks media wire, just-drinks.com; additional content by Warc staff