5 questions for Anna – the Valley’s new COO

5 questions for Anna – the Valley’s new COO

 Linda Grieder Kern, CEO of Rethink Resource
We’re thrilled to welcome Anna Mucha to the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley team as our new Chief Operating Officer. With deep roots in both corporate supply chains and agile entrepreneurship, Anna brings a rare blend of operational depth, systems thinking and innovation mindset to the Valley. We caught up with her to talk about circularity, bold collaboration, and what’s next for SFNV.

What motivated you to join Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley as COO?

Looking back, I started my career by building reliable and sustainable supply chains within food. I then moved on to build a company and a family. Now I’m asking myself: what does it take to build a thriving ecosystem? I’ve experienced firsthand how powerful systemic collaboration can be when tackling complex problems – much like in nature, everything is interconnected. The Valley’s mission to pioneer future-proof food systems aligns perfectly with my values. What excites me most is applying my operational expertise to transform bold visions into tangible results.

How has your experience as a founder shaped your approach to this new role?

Founding a company was like getting an intensive MBA in everything – product development, marketing, finance, and HR – all compressed into real-world experience you can’t get anywhere else. But the two most crucial skills I developed were focusing relentlessly on what you do best and making the impossible possible with limited resources.

As a founder, I also learned the importance of building your own ecosystem. Now I’m excited to apply these same principles at the Valley: that laser focus on core strengths and resourceful execution will be essential for scaling collaborations effectively across our network.

How can SFNV help scale circular models within Switzerland’s food system?

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s “Big Food Redesign” highlights four critical concepts – regenerative practices, low-impact, diversity, and upcycling – that must be designed into our food systems rather than retrofitted afterwards. The Valley is well positioned to weave these principles directly into our ecosystem and support partners to strengthen their work in these areas going forward.

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about your journey?

A lot of things in my life happened through serendipity – by being at the right time in the right place. There is a lot of power in knowing what you want in your career and actively communicating it to everyone, but the rest is walking through doors when they open. I have two personal mantras: “no hay camino, se hace camino al andar”, which basically means every way is unique and the path you took might only make sense in hindsight. The second one is: “emotion creates motion”. So I go where the energy flows, where my passion lies and I try to play to my strengths.

What does a future-ready food system look like to you?

It’s one where sustainability, health and profitability aren’t trade-offs, but mutually reinforcing. It’s local and global, tech-enabled and people-powered. And, most importantly, it’s built on a foundation of collaboration. I think Switzerland is uniquely positioned to lead by example – combining scientific excellence, entrepreneurial drive and a collaborative mindset. I’m excited to help the Valley make that vision a reality.

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Impact Digest | Sustainable Packaging 

Impact Digest | Sustainable Packaging 

Impact Digest | Cultured foods: How can we drive impact at scale?

Well designed and well implemented packaging solutions have a crucial role to play in shaping more sustainable food systems. From reducing food loss and waste to ensuring that 10 billion people have access to safe and nutritious food, how we transport and store our food and drinks is more important than ever.

Accordingly, innovators across Switzerland, and Europe more broadly, are busy scaling up sustainable packaging alternatives and rethinking reuse and recycling to make our food last longer. At our Impact Forum: Sustainable Packaging on 08 May 2025, we invited three expert speakers to discuss the field as it stands with Valley CEO Christina Senn-Jakobsen. Here’s what we learned…

Key Takeaways

  • Legislation is changing: New European packaging legislation (PPWR) came into force earlier this year, but the panel agreed it appears to be creating more confusion than clarity in many areas. 
  • There is room for improvement: The panel agreed on the need for better consumer education and effective recycling systems. Packaging regulations are complex and there is a need for clear, factual communication to consumers.
  • Paperisation continues to be a big trend: Paperization is a growing trend in the packaging industry, with manufacturers seeking to improve recyclability by introducing components made of renewable, fibre-based materials. However, our speakers also addressed the challenges of this and how reducing fossil-based plastic can be equally important. 
  • Cooperation across the value chain is needed to achieve circularity: The value of partnerships with local communities, governments, and competitors to grow the reusable packaging market cannot be underestimated. Extended producer responsibility schemes to drive circular economy improvements are also important.
  • Greater investment is required to meet the needs of a growing population: We need more investment related to sustainable packaging, and this is requested by our customers, the food and beverage brands, but also by consumers and the society.
  • Growing awareness on multiple fronts: Understanding of sustainability and regulatory changes are driving shifts in consumer demand and behaviour.Consumer awareness is becoming more sophisticated, too, with the public more engaged with the benefits of reuse vs recycling and the carbon footprint of different packaging. 

Packaging as a holistic system
Insights from Ann Lorentzon, Project Leader, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden

Ann highlighted the complexities of sustainable packaging, noting the mismatch between environmental and recycling concerns. When companies approach RISE asking what constitutes a sustainable packaging, Ann shared that even after all the classic sustainable markers have been met, there are still issues that can arise. For example, replacing plastic with paper to create climate-smart packaging can create recycling issues, while removing laminates to simplify the recycling process can lead to increased food waste. Ann emphasised how crucial it is to be aware of this dilemma when trying to make a sustainment packaging. 

With this in mind, Ann explained that there was hope that the new European packaging legislation (PPWR) would provide more clear direction. Unfortunately, in Ann’s view, it has increased confusion due to the 10 different requirement areas, which all come into effect at different times.   

Ann also stressed that in all this discussion about what constitutes sustainable packaging, it’s vital to remember why we use the packaging. Packaging needs to meet various functions in the process from production to consumption, and in this, product protection is the most critical function to reduce environmental footprint. Both under packing and over packing lead to increased environmental consequences. Over packing can use too many resources, adds unnecessary weight and volumes and can lead to secondary problems such as higher transport emissions. But under packing can equally lead to much faster negative environmental impact because it results in product damage and waste of both product and the packaging. The goal, Ann explained, is to achieve an optimum packaging design which minimizes resource use and environmental impact for the entire system. She summarised that, in her view, sustainable packaging with a minimised environmental footprint must consider the whole system holistically: the product, the distribution and the packaging.

New developments in design and materials
Insights from Davide Braghiroli, Director of Sustainability & Packaging Regulation, Tetra Pak

Companies like Tetra Pak are always evolving, Davide explained, and now is no different –  the beverage industry is transforming. More and more products are needed to meet the demands of the 8 billion people on Earth. In conjunction with this, consumers are becoming more sophisticated in their understanding of sustainable packaging and demanding better alternatives. 

Davide outlined Tetra Pak’s efforts to reduce climate change, introduce circularity, and develop new materials. He pointed to the trend of paperisation – whereby manufacturers look to improve recyclability by introducing components made of renewable, fibre-based materials. Tetra Pak is currently trialling a paper-based cap for carton packaging, for example.  

Tetra Pak is also working to support ambient distribution, so distribution without refrigeration, to really reach every corner of the planet, and prolong the shelf life of products in all climates. Davide gave the example of paper packaging that consists of 70% cardboard,  25% polymer and a small 5% of aluminum. The main development in design for recycling is the replacement of the aluminum barrier layer, which is extremely important, and Tetra Pak has seen great success so far with a paper-based barrier layer.  

He also reminded the audience of the importance of having alternatives to fossil-based materials. Renewable materials are important, hence increasing the amount of paper packaging, but even in the plastics segment, TetraPak are committed to reducing the amount of plastic produced with fossil fuels.

Packaging as a service
Insights from Frank Plessers, Founder & CEO, futuREproof

Frank began by explaining how many single-use packaging collection systems are still insufficient, resulting not only in waste (undermining efforts towards a circular system) but also in resource depletion. Unfortunately, bad waste management results in microplastics, which end up in our bodies, again, contributing to various health and environmental issues. Even paper packaging is unfortunately sometimes combined with forever chemicals, which again needs to be disposed of thoughtfully, and results in damage to biodiversity. So reuse, as opposed to recycling, is basically a whole different approach towards packaging.  

Frank explained futuREproof’s mission: introducing reusable packaging solutions that are premium quality and technologically integrated. To achieve this – and make reusable packaging ‘the new normal’ – their model involves leasing reusable packaging and coordinating collection and cleaning through a mobile application. The basic idea is that cheap and sustainable packaging does not exist. Instead, futuREproof take on the high upfront costs – banking on the premium materials being used again and again, up to 400 times or more – and then maximise its value and minimise its impact. Nonetheless, the financial impact of collection and cleaning remains challenging.  

One of the biggest issues is that many elements related to convenience and cost are defined by how often something is used and what the economies of scale are. Frank explained this creates something of a ‘chicken and egg’ situation, where you need to have the collection infrastructure to make it easy for the consumer, but you typically can only get there if you grow accordingly. While obviously extended producer responsibility can help in this aspect, Frank explained that this is typically not covered directly by the producers and manufacturers. 

Hungry for more?
Join us for our next Impact Forum on Nutrition & Mental Health on 10 June.

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Nestlé to strengthen its capabilities in bio tech and deep tech, enabled by leaner, more agile R&D organization

Nestlé to strengthen its capabilities in bio tech and deep tech, enabled by leaner, more agile R&D organization

The Future of Food: Givaudan, Nestlé R+D Accelerator Lausanne and FoodHack launch the 2025 FoodTech World Cup
Nestlé today announced the strengthening of its R&D expertise in biotechnology and the creation of a new center for deep tech, to boost its innovation pipeline and increase efficiency in research, innovation and operations.

Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestlé S.A. said: “These new capabilities in bio tech and deep tech will fuel growth by meeting changing consumer needs and accelerating the digital transformation of Nestlé. This is about putting the Nestlé Virtuous Circle in action: unlocking investment through efficiencies to drive more focused and impactful innovation and growth.”

Enhanced R&D expertise in cutting-edge biotechnology and clinical research will lead to new nutritional solutions. This will further bolster Nestlé’s consumer-centric innovation pipelines for maternal, early life and medical nutrition, and support new growth platforms such as healthy longevity, women’s health and weight management. Science-based solutions will also be leveraged for Nestlé’s pet care business, including pet therapeutics. New capabilities include the development of the next generation of screening assays, enhanced capabilities in precision fermentation, as well as a re-enforced clinical research program. These competences will drive significant advances in precision nutrition and the development of new generations of highly effective bio-actives and biotics including post- and synbiotics.

The creation of a center for deep tech will be a first-of-its-kind in the food and nutrition industry. Nestlé will build on existing expertise in sensor systems, solutions for product recognition, remote control and display solutions. The new center will screen, test and develop new generations of sensors, robots, coding systems, high-performing AI and virtual/mixed reality solutions to increase efficiency in research, innovation and operations. New technologies will enable the development of smart coffee machines, innovative solutions for precision nutrition, self-controlling equipment and new solutions for dynamic quality assurance. The center will be officially opened in the first half of 2026, at the existing facilities of the Nestlé System Technology Center in Orbe, Switzerland.

Stefan Palzer, CTO of Nestlé S.A. said: “We continue to transform our R&D organization to embrace science and technology trends and to seize current and future growth opportunities. The industry-leading biotechnology capabilities will deliver new ingredients with clinically proven bio-efficacy for precision nutrition for people and pets along their entire lifespan. The upscaling of our unique capabilities in deep tech are key to maximize efficiency in innovation and operations. And all of this is powered by a leaner and more agile R&D organization.”

Nestlé’s global R&D organization responds to business and consumer needs, as well as to environmental and technology trends by leveraging its industry-leading science and technology platforms. In close collaboration with the commercial teams and with a clear focus on fewer but impactful projects, R&D develops differentiating product and technology innovation fueling Nestlé’s growth.

Never miss a Swiss food innovation morsel.

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Bühler integrates NapaRoast technology to add pasteurization for safe food processing

Bühler integrates NapaRoast technology to add pasteurization for safe food processing

The Future of Food: Givaudan, Nestlé R+D Accelerator Lausanne and FoodHack launch the 2025 FoodTech World Cup
Swiss tech leader Bühler Group has integrated NapaRoast’s advanced steam vacuum pasteurization technology into its nut processing portfolio, enhancing food safety, efficiency, and sustainability. This strategic move positions Bühler as a comprehensive solution provider amid growing global demand for healthy, traceable snacks.

Swiss technology company Bühler Group has integrated NapaRoast’s pasteurization and roasting technology. With the addition of the NapaRoast steam vacuum pasteurization technology to its broad portfolio, Bühler strengthens its market position in the nuts processing industry to cater even better to trends such as healthy snacking, regulatory compliance, and sustainable practices. “The integration of NapaRoast puts us in the unique position to be a one-stop shop for our customers. The best-in-class pasteurization process guarantees food safety and traceability, and, in combination with our proven technologies for nuts processing, added efficiency. With the integration of the NapaRoast solution into our portfolio, we look forward to sharing the benefits of this technology and serving the NapaRoast customer base – not just for nuts, but for many of the food processing solutions Bühler offers as well,” says Cathrin Flühler, Head of Market Segment Nuts at Bühler.

The global nut market is growing at an annual rate of up to 7%. The popularity and reputation of tree nuts and ground nuts as healthy snacks due to their high levels of protein, fiber, and antioxidants is growing steadily. With this developing worldwide demand comes an increased focus on food safety. NapaRoast’s steam-vacuum pasteurization process provides the best answer to the stringent microbial contamination requirements that processors are facing today. “Our pasteurization process offers a high pathogen reduction of >5 log in nuts, seeds, and all low moisture foods. During our process steam is used to raise the surface temperature of the product to kill pathogens effectively,” explains Dr. Cameon Ivarsson, Co-Founder of NapaRoast. By pasteurizing with saturated steam, the products can be treated effectively at lower temperatures in a partial vacuum. The high efficiency of saturated steam does not require a drying step thus protecting the quality, texture, color, and flavor of the product.

The missing piece to the puzzle

“We already covered the most important steps such as transport, sorting, storage, roasting, and grinding in our portfolio. When it came to the pasteurization process, however, we had to rely on solutions from suppliers. Now, our customers can get all the important technologies along the value chain from Bühler, which creates valuable synergies for everyone involved. This collaboration is a perfect match between two companies with the same values such as quality, ingenuity, and creating value for customers and consumers,” says Cathrin Flühler.

Cameon Ivarsson adds: “With Bühler, there is a huge opportunity to multiply the impact of our pasteurization technologies across the globe. Their large customer base paired with decades of experience in plant and process engineering will get the most out of the technology. We could not be more excited about the future for nuts processing.”

The NapaRoast pasteurization technology is installed in over 40 processing plants around the world, mainly in the United States, Europe, and Africa. Pasteurization and roasting lines are offered in throughputs ranging from 1 tonne per hour to 6 tonnes per hour. Because of the unique design of the process where the product is treated in bulk bins, there is no breakage, dust, and waste, and down time for product changeover is minimized. Its flexibility allows for the processing of whole pieces, chopped ingredients or powders as well.

A unique playground for nuts processors

To showcase its position in nuts processing and to give customers the unique opportunity to test and train along the value chain, Bühler has upgraded its Flavor Creation Research and Training Center in Uzwil, Switzerland. “Of course, the pasteurization step is integrated into our state-of-the-art facility for our customers to get first-hand experience of the technology. We are excited to open our center in August this year for trials and to invite them to the first exclusive training session on November 4 and 5,” says Cathrin Flühler.

More information about Bühler’s Research and Training Centers can be found here.

 

Never miss a Swiss food innovation morsel.

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Bühler launches OptiBake, the world’s first inductively heated wafer oven

Bühler launches OptiBake, the world’s first inductively heated wafer oven

The Future of Food: Givaudan, Nestlé R+D Accelerator Lausanne and FoodHack launch the 2025 FoodTech World Cup
Bühler Group’s new OptiBake oven revolutionizes industrial baking with inductive heating technology that delivers precise temperature control, superior wafer quality, and up to 50% energy savings. As the first of its kind, it sets a new sustainability standard by eliminating direct emissions and reducing operational costs—marking a major leap toward zero-emission wafer production.

“With OptiBake, we set out to deliver more than just a new wafer oven. We challenged ourselves to combine exceptional wafer quality with unprecedented flexibility, while enabling customers to contribute to sustainability,” says Sandra Lutz, Head of Business Unit Wafer at Bühler Group. “Our electric induction heating technology responds to the global demand for higher quality and efficiency, reduced operational costs, and a significantly lower carbon footprint.”

For more than a decade, Bühler’s has focused on developing technologies that support customer growth while reducing the environmental footprint of production. OptiBake offers a range of unique advantages that set it apart from conventional gas-fired or electric wafer ovens. While conventional electric heating has been used for decades, inductive heating offers greater energy efficiency and new possibilities for precise control.

OptiBake’s induction heating system uses electromagnetic fields to generate heat directly within the baking plates, dispensing with open flames and combustion. The result is a process that produces no direct emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), or nitrogen oxides (NOx). Energy consumption can fall to 50%, when compared to gas-fired or electrical wafer ovens, reducing the environmental impact. These emission reductions can also lead to tax and licensing advantages, along with increased subsidy opportunities.

The environmental benefits of the oven are even greater when powered by a low-carbon electricity mix. In such settings, it can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and support broader sustainability goals. By eliminating reliance on natural gas, the system also contributes to energy security and supply resilience.

Enhanced quality and efficiency

At the heart of the oven’s performance is a newly engineered baking plate design, specifically developed to produce the highest wafer sheet quality in combination with the inductive heating system. Paired with an innovative system for individual plate temperature control, it ensures precise and consistent heat distribution throughout the baking process. The ability to fine-tune temperatures plate by plate not only improves product quality but also allows for exceptional flexibility and responsiveness – key for handling recipe changes or varying production demands. In fact, induction heating provides the ideal foundation for precise process control, enabling the system to respond quickly and efficiently to varying production requirements, ensuring consistent product quality and optimized energy use.

The low baking chamber temperatures reduce life-cycle costs by minimizing thermal stress on components such as cables and bearings. OptiBake also creates a quieter production environment by eliminating burner nozzle flow noise and simplifies heat recuperation due to the absence of combustion products. Furthermore, the new oven allows for 100% raw material utilization, as baking scraps do not burn and can be repurposed. Its operation is safe with no fire hazard as there are no open flames in the baking chamber. The system is also designed to operate without posing any electromagnetic compatibility (EMV) risks, ensuring safe and interference-free integration into industrial environments.

“With rising CO2 taxes, volatile energy prices, and changing consumer demands, companies must act now to stay ahead,” says Johannes Greil, Head of Product Management Wafer at Bühler. “OptiBake represents a milestone in industrial baking technology, delivering increased quality, efficiency, and flexibility. This powerful combination equips customers to thrive today and remain competitive in the years to come.”

Innovation award in hand

OptiBake has also been awarded the Lower Austrian Innovation Award 2025. Out of approximately 80 submissions and nearly 30 projects selected in the final phase, Bühler’s OptiBake stood out and emerged as the overall winner, receiving the Karl Ritter von Ghega Prize. “Earning this award highlights not only our pioneering innovation but also the dedication, passion, and teamwork that drive our work. A sincere thank you to everyone on the team as well as our network of customers, experts, and academic partners, who were fully engaged in the development process,” says Sandra Lutz.

Loacker, the Italian confectionery company from South Tyrol specializing in wafers, chocolate, and related products, began collaborating with Bühler in 2020 to explore zero-emission wafer production. “We are now delighted to be Bühler’s pilot partner, as this project has been on our minds for years and aligns perfectly with our sustainability strategy and our core values, which have been passed down through generations. As a family-owned company, we are committed to creating a positive social and environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of our products,” says Andreas Loacker, Vice Chairman of the Board.

“Looking ahead, we expect OptiBake to maintain the high quality of our wafers while significantly improving energy efficiency. Our goal is to take a major step towards zero-emissions production, supporting our decarbonization targets. This transition is essential to reducing our environmental footprint and making our baking process more sustainable,” adds Markus Valersi, Project Manager Engineering at Loacker.

 

Never miss a Swiss food innovation morsel.

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House of Lab Science launches food and biotech hub in the Valley

House of Lab Science launches food and biotech hub in the Valley

The Future of Food: Givaudan, Nestlé R+D Accelerator Lausanne and FoodHack launch the 2025 FoodTech World Cup

House of Lab Science has launched its newest location at The Valley in Kemptthal, strengthening its mission to deliver flexible, affordable and fully serviced lab spaces to Switzerland’s thriving biotech, foodtech and life sciences communities.

Dynamic and promising Hub for an unparalleled ecosystem

Following the successful creation of a vibrant lab science and life science cluster in Hombrechtikon — home to pioneering members such as Tecan, Haelixa, PreComb, Dr. W. Huber AG and Paladis — House of Lab Science now brings its Lab-as-a-Service concept into The Valley, one of Switzerland’s most dynamic and promising innovation hubs.

Located between Zurich and Winterthur, just minutes away from Zurich Airport, The Valley offers an unparalleled ecosystem for startups and scaleups alike. Historic industrial spaces are now home to cutting-edge companies like Givaudan, Planted and The Cultured Hub, creating a vibrant and collaborative environment that fosters creativity, cross-sector innovation and rapid growth. The strategic location and ecosystem density make The Valley one of Europe’s most exciting life sciences, biotech and foodtech clusters.

“I couldn’t be more excited about our newest home at The Valley in Kemptthal. This location is becoming a true hotspot for biotech and foodtech innovation. With our Lab-as-a-Service model joining forces alongside The Cultured Hub’s Scale-up-as-a-Service, we’re creating the perfect ecosystem for startups to grow fast and smart. Time to market is critical — and startups, scaleups and corporates alike simply can’t afford to wait for labs to be built. They need high-quality, flexible R&D space ready to go — yesterday. That’s exactly what House of Lab Science offers, and we’re proud to do it at the most competitive rates in Switzerland.” – Oana Vrabie, co-founder
House of Lab Science.

“The strength of an ecosystem lies in its ability to build complementary offers that accelerate high-quality innovation — from idea to impact,” said Christina Senn-Jakobsen, CEO of Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley. “With its Lab-as-a-Service and Scale-up-as-a-Service offers, the launch of House of Lab Science adds some of the missing wheels in the clockwork of the Swiss ecosystem, making it even more complete and powerful.”

“With its new location at The Valley in Kemptthal, House of Lab Science delivers the much-anticipated lab infrastructure that foodtech innovators need to start, develop and scale,” added Alexandre Bastos, Head of Front End Innovation at Givaudan. “This vibrant ecosystem is primed to drive the next wave of food innovation.”

Bold ideas

The launch event on April 10th featured a lively panel discussion with innovation leaders including Christina Senn-Jakobsen, Pascal Bieri (Co-Founder of Planted) and Alexandre Bastos. The key takeaway?

From bold ideas to global relevance, it is clear that community, creativity and courage are the critical ingredients to build the next generation of Swiss-made biotech and foodtech champions.

The Valley is not just a location — it is a movement: a place where startups, corporates and investors meet to shape the future of science and industry together.

Startups that sign a contract by June 1st will receive 1 month free at House of Lab Science’s newest location. Move-in is scheduled to begin from June 2025.

What House of Lab Science offers:

  • Fully equipped, BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs ready to move in — private labs or
    benches with equipment and office space included
  • Flexible rental terms that allow startups to scale up or adapt without the
    burden of upfront capital expenditure (CAPEX); just plug-and-play lab space
    with flexible OPEX
  • A vibrant community platform and marketplace, offering access to
    exclusive lab services, shared resources, equipment deals, and cross-location
    networking opportunities across Switzerland.
  • Lab and facility management services handled by the House of Lab
    Science team — so startups can focus fully on their science and business
    growth.

About House of Lab Science
House of Lab Science continues to roll out its pioneering model across Switzerland, providing science-preneurs, startups, scaleups, and established companies in biotech, foodtech and medtech with the flexible infrastructure, fully equipped lab space and tailored support they need to innovate quickly, affordably and successfully – all within a connected, collaborative ecosystem. www.houseoflabscience.world

 

Never miss a Swiss food innovation morsel.

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