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The food system of the future is not just about what we eat, but also how we sustainably produce, process, distribute and consume food.

Food is part of all our lives, but the system operating behind it is much more complex than what we see in the shop or on the table. How we produce, process, transport, consume and recycle food has a direct impact on our health, our environment, the economy and security of supply. FutureFoodS is a ten-year Horizon Europe partnership supporting the transformation of European food systems to make them more sustainable, healthy, equitable and economically viable.

Who is it useful for?

FutureFoodS is for those who not only produce or research food, but want to make the entire food system more sustainable.

For food businesses
It can be useful for companies looking for more sustainable products, processes, packaging, processing or supply solutions. For agricultural and food chain operators
It helps to better understand where the European food system-level transition is heading and what innovation directions can be connected to. For researchers and innovation actors
It creates research and innovation calls, knowledge sharing and professional collaborations in the field of sustainable food systems. For decision-makers and public institutions
System-level knowledge, data and policy lessons can help sustainable food-related decisions. For innovation support organisations and clusters
It can provide international relations, methodological frameworks and good practice examples for those who support cooperation between businesses, researchers and public institutions.

Why is this needed?

Food today is no longer just a matter of production: it is simultaneously a health, environmental, economic and security of supply challenge.

European food systems are simultaneously facing climate change, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, food waste, unhealthy eating patterns, and supply uncertainties. These cannot be answered separately. Production, processing, logistics, consumption, and waste management must be seen together. For the Central Transdanubia region, this is important because the region is also seeing an increasing role for food industry innovation, sustainable processing solutions, shorter value chains, and businesses’ green and digital transformation.

How does the project help?

FutureFoodS does not tackle just a single problem, but rather examines how the entire food system can be set on a more sustainable path. Its aim is to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable European food systems.

The project connects four major directions of change:

    • Let's change the way we eat.
      Healthier, more sustainable, safer and more widely available food choices.
 
    • Let's change how we process and supply food.
      More sustainable processing, circular solutions, lower environmental footprint and more resilient supply chains.
 
    • Let's change how we connect with food systems.
      Consumer confidence, strengthening social participation, Living Labs and multi-actor collaborations.
 
    • Let us change how we manage food systems.
      Better policy tools, data-driven decision support and European-level coordination.
  The project launches joint research and innovation calls, builds a knowledge hub, develops a Living Lab network, and supports those working on more sustainable food systems with professional materials.

Practical application

The project truly becomes understandable when a business, researcher or institution looks to it for a foothold regarding its own development issue.

Let's look at this example: Imagine an SME in the food industry that wants to reduce its environmental footprint, make its energy or material use more efficient, introduce new packaging solutions, or develop a healthier product portfolio. The company recognizes the sustainability requirements, but it may not have its own research and development background, international best practices, or testing environment. In this situation, FutureFoodS can make European-level knowledge, methodological frameworks and points of contact available. The Living Lab approach is particularly important because it brings together experts, businesses, institutions and users in a real-world context.

Our role

As a Hungarian partner, the KDRIÜ's task is to make international knowledge visible not as an unattainable goal, but as a meaningful connection opportunity for the region.

The KDRIÜ not only participates in international knowledge sharing, but also examines how the knowledge center and the Living Lab activities lead to different levels of achievement, impact, and methodological lessons. The project provides an opportunity for the KDRIÜ to further strengthen its role in the field of sustainable food systems, living labs and innovation ecosystems, building on its previous experience in food industry and innovation support. The most important added value of FutureFoodS for the region is that it connects the Central Danube Region to a long-term European knowledge and innovation cooperation.

Partnership

FutureFoodS is a large-scale European partnership with a constantly changing composition of over 80 partners from nearly 30 countries. The partnership includes national and regional authorities, funding agencies, universities, research institutes, foundations and competitiveness clusters.

Featured cast:

  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche – ANR (France | coordinator)
  • Federal Office for Agriculture and Food – BLE (Germany | deputy coordinator)
  • Central Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – KDRIÜ (Hungary | project partner)
  • FOODHUB.HU Agricultural Producer Service Nonprofit Pte Ltd (Hungary | project partner)
View full partner list on the official project page

Are you interested in the project?

For further information, please visit the official project page or contact the project manager.

Official project page

Programme

  • Horizon Europe

Full project title

  • FutureFoodS - European partnership for a sustainable Future of Food Systems

Status

  • Under implementation

Maturity period

  • 1 June 2024 – 31 May 2034.

Project
ID

  • 101136361

Project participants

Dr Ákos Szépvölgyi, Managing Director of KDRIÜ

Ákos Szépvölgyi

managing director

View profile

Results and related knowledge base materials

The results of FutureFoodS provide a foothold for those looking for knowledge, methodology, partnerships or development directions for sustainable food systems. FutureFoodS is a long-term, ten-year European partnership, so the results will expand continuously as the project progresses.

    • Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda – SRIA
      Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda on European development directions for sustainable food systems.
 
    • Joint international call for proposals
      Research and innovation calls for multi-country collaborative food system solutions.
 
    • Food Systems Observatory
      Monitoring and analytical platform for tracking the sustainability transition of food systems.
 
    • Food Systems Knowledge Hub
      Knowledge centre connecting Living Labs, researchers, businesses, policymakers and other stakeholders.
 
    • Food Systems Living Labs network
      A network of real-world innovation spaces for developing and testing sustainable food system solutions.
 
  • Methodological and capacity-building materials
    Workshops, trainings, guides, case studies and good practices for actors dealing with sustainable food systems.

Related communication content

FutureFoodS – Newsletter

The FutureFoodS project newsletter.

READ
  • 2026
  • FutureFoodS partnership