Companies in southern Sweden developing climate-smart food solutions

With regards to meals innovation, Sweden’s southernmost province is the place world crucial drives game-changing breakthroughs and dietary options. Challenges comparable to local weather change, feeding a rising world inhabitants, water shortage and meals waste are simply among the points excessive on the agenda of meals innovators within the area who’re discovering options to issues throughout the whole meals worth chain. From manufacturing and distribution to consumption and recycling, that is the place the meals system of the long run is being invented immediately.

Jens Almqvist, enterprise designer on the food-focused Krinova Incubator and Science Park in Kristianstad, northeast Skåne, says local weather is a significant focus of Skåne’s meals tech ecosystem. “Meals could be very a lot below the microscope after we speak about local weather change,” he explains, pointing to the rising demand for options to conventional farming, processing and packaging strategies.

Skåne is house to a wealth of over 100 revolutionary meals expertise firms. These embody startups and researchers (in addition to well-established firms, comparable to Tetra Pak, Ecolean, and Oatly) who develop new dietary options in response to market circumstances, and search traders and companions for collaboration.

From various proteins to superior agricultural expertise

Put money into Skåne has created a snapshot of the area’s burgeoning foodtech scene by profiling Skåne-based foodtech firms searching for world funding and collaboration. Up to now, there are greater than 30 firms included within the catalog, working in areas from various proteins, drinks and the round bioeconomy to digitization, packaging, expertise and water financial savings.

In accordance with Olof Tedin, Enterprise Growth Director at Put money into Skåne, firms within the Skåne area that develop “local weather good meals” deal with various proteins based mostly on crops, fungi or lab-grown meat, in addition to sustainable meals options such because the round bioeconomy, which Recycles waste merchandise or makes use of waste discount options.

“It’s all about utilizing sources in a method that’s extra environment friendly but in addition cheaper and simpler to provide,” explains Tyden, “whether or not it’s inexperienced proteins or laboratory fish cultures with a confined round stream.”

Useful meals is one other space of ​​improvement – dietary merchandise, principally within the beverage class, designed to realize constructive well being results and that are fortified with probiotics, minerals, fiber and nutritional vitamins.

Elevated crop yields are additionally frequent. “The businesses listed below are working throughout the total vary of agricultural expertise, comparable to synthetic intelligence and robot-based options, to extend returns,” he provides.

For Almqvist, the appliance of expertise from different sectors to meals is growing.

“Corporations taking a look at pairing meals challenges with expertise, presumably derived from different areas, ought to look into Skåne,” he says. Startups are additionally beginning to transfer away from launching consumer-facing manufacturers. “I believe we’ll see extra integration and extra enterprise fashions between companies,” he explains.