Bühler, Nestlé and Givaudan launch Future Food Initiative

Bühler, Nestlé and Givaudan have launched the Future Food Initiative, a joint research programme between Swiss universities and industrial partners for the development of trend-based, tasty, nutritious and sustainable food and beverage products.

The initiative will include Swiss academic institutions such as ETH Zurich and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The Future Food Initiative is expected to boost food and nutrition research in areas relevant to consumer trends and sustainability.

Tapping consumer trends, the initiative aims to intensify the search for solutions for sustainable, plastic-free packaging, as well as secure access to affordable nutrition.

Bühler Group CEO Stefan Scheiber said: “We are stepping up as an industry to address challenges in the food value chain.

“Bühler’s ambition is to create innovative and sustainable solutions, partnering with leading research institutes, industrial partners, and promising start-ups in the world of food.”

It also features a postdoctoral fellowship programme to promote young scientists.

The initial research projects will focus on plant-based nutrition and ancient plant varieties.

Around Sfr4.1m ($4.11m) has been invested by industrial partners to form the initiative.

Nestlé chief technology officer Stefan Palzer said:  “We accelerate innovation in collaboration with a variety of external partners, including world-class academia, globally leading suppliers and creative start-ups across the world.

“To address open scientific questions and challenges related to food trends and sustainable nutrition is key for us as we create tasty and nutritious food for all age groups.