Future Frami Food Lab

Project time:
1.1.2023-31.12.2025

Funding:
Co-funded by the European Union: The Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia,  European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 70 %

City of Seinäjoki 15 %

Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences 15 %

Project budget:

Development project: (project number A80009) 611 058  €

Investment project: (project number A80043) 928 725  €

Project coordinator:
Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences

The international protein market is growing for both animal-based and plant-based proteins. Estimates from various market forecasts (Grand View Research, Inc., Boston Consulting Group & Blue Horizon Crop., and CRB) suggest a 70% growth rate for plant-based proteins over a five-year period. Similarly, even proteins of animal origin are presented with 25% market growth in the same time frame. South Ostrobothnia is a significant protein-producing region, where increasing value added can generate tens of millions of euros in revenue growth for the business sector. Developing the added value of products requires expertise in enriching protein fractions alongside product application expertise.

The accumulation of critical mass in South Ostrobothnia requires the accumulation of knowledge activities, a sufficiently high level of knowledge expertise and the level of doing, as well as high-quality experimental and piloting environments. Food technology has remained on the interface between different disciplines, which is why there are no proper research and piloting environments for it in Finland. In the project, the investment enables qualitative cooperation to accumulate knowledge expertise in South Ostrobothnia.

The main objective of the project is to increase the role of South Ostrobothnia as a food region and as a leading expert in food technology and processes in Finland and as an internationally significant actor, and to strengthen Frami Food Lab’s role as a testing platform for food technologies and processes and as an identified competence cluster in the field. The development of sustainable vegetable and ready-to-eat food technologies and animal-based production methods is an essential part of the project objectives. The sector’s national and international RDI activities will be intensified and the role of South Ostrobothnia will be strengthened as Finland’s leading food region, which is at the forefront of future change and the development of new food technologies.

Operating in the South Ostrobothnia region:

• Small and medium-sized companies
• Higher education institution
• Research institutes
• Secondary educational institutions
• City of Seinäjoki
• Province of South Ostrobothnia

The implementation of the project is divided into seven work packages:

• WP1 – Strengthening the community network of the networked operating model of the food system
• WP2 – Implementation of a networked operating model for the food system
• WP3 – Development of sustainable vegetable and processed food technologies and production methods for products of animal origin
• WP4 – Synthesis of food technology and automation solutions as part of the green transition
• WP5 – Be inspired – Developing an operating model for designing product concepts and pre-testing products with new technologies
• WP6 – Influencing
• WP7 – Project administration and management

The concrete results of the project are:

• Elevating South Ostrobothnia from a follower of European food systems networks to a pioneer in the food industry
• Indentifying competence gaps and the creation of new companies through the indentification of competence gaps
• Developing a pre-tested operating model for a food technology competence cluster
• Building a permanent collaborative model between business, education and research institutions to develop future food technologies and production methods
• Developing a permanent collaborative model for the implementation of digital process solutions in the food industry
• Developing an operating model for the design of product concepts with new product technologies and raw materials and for product pre-testing
• Develops the food technology competence centre’s brand and communication and influence plan
• A pilot and innovation environment for food technology will be built in South Ostrobothnia

Longer term results of the project:

As a result of the project, strategic cooperation and continuous interaction with business and industry will grow, as will networked cooperation with other national and international actors in the field. The competence level of food technology will be raised to the top international level, and the need for know-how for the future will be met. The technological ecosystem created by the project serves as a pilot platform for testing product concepts and as an enabler of business academy trainings.