CHELTENHAM, U.K. — Kraft Foods U.K. Ltd. will shift its U.K. headquarters from Cheltenham to Bournville and Uxbridge over the next 18 months in order to “speed decision making and drive high-performance culture,” the company said May 10. In addition, the company said it will bring together its Cadbury and Kraft resources to create a global Centre of Excellence for chocolate research and development in Bournville.

According to Kraft, the new center will drive new product development, new technologies and best practices for chocolate brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka, Toblerone, Cote d’Or, Terry’s, Flake, Crème Egg, Green & Black’s, Suchard, Freia, Marabou and Lacta.

Kraft also announced it will combine its resources with those of Cadbury to create a global science and technology center at Cadbury’s existing Science Centre in Reading.

In addition to the new global centers in Bournville and Reading, Kraft Foods has operated a coffee R.&D. center in Banbury for more than 40 years and a global coffee Centre of Excellence since 1995.

“The U.K. is one of the company’s most important markets,” said Nick Bunker, president of Kraft Foods U.K. & Ireland. “Kraft Foods has been here for more than 85 years and Cadbury, of course, was founded here. I’m delighted by the company’s vote of confidence in the U.K. The skills and facilities we have here will enable us to build the U.K.’s favorite snacks and confectionery company and to drive global innovation for two of Kraft Foods’ largest categories worldwide, namely chocolate and coffee.”