Baltfood
The Baltic Sea Region Food Cluster: Innovation and Competitiveness in Action
The food industry has developed into a highly competitive and strong industrial sector within the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Emerging trends like more demanding consumers, changing functionality of food, a concentration process in the retail sector and shorter product lifecycles, however, require a constant technological evolution. In this regard various deficits within the SME sector were identified: late recognition of food trends; low conversion of scientific findings into marketable food products or below average innovation rates. With this background “baltfood” was launched. The idea is networking among the business and scientific communities in the food industry. The overall aim of this project is to foster innovations and to take the food industry to the next level.
The baltfood project will bring business and science closer together to meet the challenges of the future. This will require commitment and dedication from all involved. In order to keep the direct costs as low as possible, especially during the development phase, the European Union is providing significant support in the first three years through its Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013. This will open the project to as many companies and institutions as possible, creating a basis for continued cooperation.
