Jack and Annette Aronson Debut Great Lakes HPP Food Innovation Center in Taylor on Thursday

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Jack and Annette Aronson, co-founders of Garden Fresh Gourmet in Ferndale that they sold in 2015 to Campbell Soup Co. for $231 million, will debut their next venture Thursday in Taylor, the Great Lakes HPP Food Innovation Center.

Designed to support Michigan’s culinary community, the Great Lakes HPP Food Innovation Center is equipped with one of only five of the largest-capacity high-pressure processing (HPP) machines in the world.

The cutting-edge technology incorporates a revolutionary pasteurization technique that uses simple cold-water pressure to make foods safer and stay fresher longer, which eliminates the need for artificial preservatives.

The high-pressure equipment eliminates molds, yeasts, germs, and other potential contaminants, and extends the shelf life of salsa, vegetable juice, and food from two or three days to as long as 45 days (or longer depending on the product).

“We think this is a game-changer for our culinary industry in metro Detroit and Michigan,” says Jack Aronson. “By extending the shelf life of food products, Michigan-based food companies can distribute their products throughout the United States.”

Homegrown food and beverage entrepreneurs who utilize the facility will be able to experiment with creating and preparing recipes in a state-of-the-art kitchen. They also can lab test, package, and HPP their food products on a test basis – all under one roof.