A taste of the future 🌱

Dear readers,

The year is coming to a close and we're reflecting back on an unprecedented past twelve months. As for many others, the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley expected this year to go quite differently. Not so long ago, our schedules were filled with in-person events and meetings with many of you across the country and around the globe.

These plans quickly changed due to the current pandemic. But innovation never sleeps and instead, we've had to pleasure to connect with many of you through video calls, webinars, as well as our first General Assembly which was a first step towards gathering the Swiss food ecosystem under one - albeit virtual - roof.

The pandemic has also been revealing. On the one hand, of the need to make food systems at home and across the globe more resilient, and on the other hand, of consumers' aspiration to change their habits towards healthier and more sustainable practices. So many developments that further underline the relevance and necessity of initiatives such as the SFNV.

We'd like to thank you for your part in keeping Switzerland's food innovation ecosystem growing; and to all of our new members who have joined us in our mission to establish Switzerland as a global food and nutrition innovation hub.

I wish you a very happy and healthy holiday and look forward to continuing the discussion with many of you in the new year,

Dr Bérangère Magarinos-Ruchat is a firm believer in the power of collaboration. The Global Head of Sustainability at Firmenich, the flavour and fragrance creator, is thoroughly convinced that businesses are capable of driving social change. And she believes that much more in this field can be achieved through partnerships rather than in isolation.

In an interview to honour Firmenich’s new membership with the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley, Magarinos-Ruchat shared her views on corporate responsibility, sustainability and nutrition :

"With obesity becoming one of the greatest burdens on the global public health system, it's time we rethink the role science has in our efforts to lead to a better, healthier, and more sustainable food system for all.

Simply put, food science is the use of new technologies to address the development and processing of food, with the aim of optimizing the end product for the benefit of the consumer. And the needs of our consumers are rapidly evolving. There is a push towards sugar and salt reduction, plant-based proteins and, enhanced nutrition to name a few.

Now more than ever, it is critical for food companies to consider not only how to make food taste great but also better for our planet and people at scale."

Following its first General Assembly, the SFNV unveiled five key strategic axes, towards which it wants to attribute the majority of its resources, time, and efforts. These areas have been selected to align with Switzerland’s competitive capabilities, while also addressing the most vital complex challenges of the food systems beyond our borders.
EPFL Spin-off Plastogaz awarded CHF 85K to further its research in the sustainable disposal of plastic waste.
In Molondin, the Agropôle is building an international innovation campus for 2025. Learn more about their SDG's targets.
Nestlé unveiled a program to reduce its carbon footprint, to which it intends to devote 3.2 billion francs over the next five years. The company is taking measures to halve its emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050
The World Economic Forum, UN World Food Programme (WFP) and several other partners have been working to catalyze regional Food Innovation Hubs focused on strengthening local innovation ecosystems.
ADM Switzerland wins Fi Europe Innovation Awards for its innovative alt-protein ingredient. Winning this category, ADM’s ProFam Pea provides a cleaner, less bitter taste experience than other pea proteins and reduces the need for masking or top notes.

In the mids of the Coronavirus pandemic, a look at future avenues for the Swiss gastronomy and hospitality sectors.