About the Food Center and its Laboratories

17 April 2007 was the opening date of the Saida Pilot Plant; the first pilot plant in Sidon and South Lebanon.  The Saida Pilot Plant and its laboratories were built at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture in Saida and the South with co-funding from USAID.

Designed by Vitech consulting s.a.l., and erected jointly by Vitech and ACDI/VOCA, this major achievement is to benefit the development of small–to-medium agro-industries (SMEs) in Lebanon.  A dream has become a tangible reality. Few days later, a second plant was established in Zahle, and subsequently a third one in Tripoli.

The Saida Food Pilot Plant and Laboratories are; in simple terms, a small-scale product development center with food testing Laboratories. They occupy 174 square meters and are equipped to produce and test Lebanese products from early stages to final packaging. Development could encompass formulation, shelf life prolongation, prototyping, and testing.   The center is also in a position to disseminate invaluable technical information and research to SME’s on standards and practices.  The Saida Pilot Plant is staffed by experts in the agro-food industry who are well prepared to assist SME’s. 

Who does the pilot plant benefit?  Any company or individual can benefit from the services provided by the pilot plant primarily with regard to product development and laboratory testing. The facilities at the plant allow individuals and companies at a minimal fee per use, to strengthen their activities, by minimizing the amount of investment required for developing and testing new products. The services at the Saida Pilot Plant include Physico-chemical tests, micro-biological tests, sensory evaluation analysis, and research.  The equipment and installations at the Saida pilot plant can handle tests related to a wide range of food products; in particular pastries, oriental sweets, and biscuits.