German sugar producer Südzucker has announced its decision to join the EIT Food Accelerator Network (FAN).
The move is part of the group’s plan to increase its investments and activities around plant-based solutions.
EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
EIT Food Accelerator Network
The EIT FAN programme for 2022 has just commenced, with scouting for the new cohort ending on 28 February 2022.
Südzucker Group’s innovation team has already been involved in defining search fields, and it will soon evaluate the first start-up applications.
The group is also aiming to engage with start-ups around plant-based solutions from April 2022 onwards.
Beyond its activity in the FAN programme, Südzucker will also involve itself in the early-stage seedbed programme and the later-stage Rising Food Stars programme of EIT Food, which supports the commercialisation of new solutions in the market.
‘Südzucker Is Passionate About Innovation’
Florian Weber, head of new-business development at Südzucker Group, commented, “Südzucker Group is passionate about innovation that is leveraging the power of plants across the whole value chain, from farm to fork.
“We are active in very diverse markets and produce a wide range of plant-based products and circular-economy solutions. This diversity is represented through all our segments, so there are plentiful possibilities for cooperation or co-developments.”
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Dr Wolfgang Kraus, the director of central research and development at Südzucker Group, explained, “We are committed to jointly scaling products and technologies, especially in the domain of plant proteins, bio-based chemicals, natural sweetening solutions, sustainable agriculture, industrial decarbonisation and [the] circular economy.
“As we process numerous crops and raw materials in our factories at [the] highest efficiency levels, leveraging synergies in operations and [the] sustainable valorisation of side streams are, traditionally, our core competence.”
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest A-brand news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
