Collaboration is crucial to allow food system innovation to flourish in Switzerland and beyond, according to Marie-France Tschudin, who was elected as Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley’s new Steering Committee Chair in May this year. Marie-France, former President of Innovative Medicines International and Chief Commercial Officer of Novartis, has 30 years of multinational experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and is passionate about shaping a more sustainable future through food. We recently caught up with her to discuss her vision for the Valley and her views on Switzerland’s role in shaping a future-proof food system.

Marie-France, once again: welcome to the Valley! Could you tell us a bit about what motivated you to join us on our journey? 

Having spent 30 years in healthcare, I firmly believe that food and good nutrition can help us prevent the onset of chronic diseases. But our food system is in constant flux. Despite growing innovation and knowledge about what we can do to keep ourselves and the planet healthy, our food system ecosystem is fragmented which can make achieving meaningful change more complex. 

I’m impressed by how Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley unites stakeholders from across the food ecosystem to work together. Thanks to its dedicated team and network of partners, the Valley encourages and nurtures change and innovation in Switzerland. Through collaborative action, we accelerate our progress towards a more sustainable food system — and then support others in doing the same.

What is your vision for the future of Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley?

The complex challenges related to our current food system include malnutrition, food waste, threats to farmers’ livelihoods, and environmental concerns such as soil degradation, to name just a few.  And we will likely face additional challenges in the future. 

I believe that we already have the technology, the knowledge and solutions to address many of these issues. Our biggest challenge is making sure we can implement them at scale. To do this, we need to take a systems approach, whereby all parties in the food system have a role to play to serve a collective, greater common purpose or objective.

By fostering a network where innovation is supported and concrete solutions can become scalable, Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley can help strengthen Switzerland’s position as a food innovation nation. 

What do you mean by “food innovation nation”?

As one of the most competitive countries in the world, Switzerland offers the right conditions and environment for innovation, including in the food industry. We need to continue to nurture that environment so that “Made in Switzerland” science, technology and state-of-the-art innovation targeting a better food system can flourish and be leveraged across the globe. 

How do you plan to strengthen the Valley’s impact?

I believe that effective collaboration within the ecosystem is vital to driving change and achieving measurable results. I’ll be actively engaging with our partners to learn and understand their most pressing issues and to create and support opportunities for collaboration. I’ll also be supporting the Valley’s team to create the right forums to showcase our partners’ impact and innovations. 

What does sustainable food mean to you personally?

Food is always at the heart of our lives. It influences how we feel, who we interact with and how we interact with them. Through food, we can share our diversity, create memories, and celebrate and care for each other and our world.

To me, sustainable food is nutritious and supports local economies as well as the wellbeing of the planet. Sustainable food will look different depending on where you are in the world, but essentially, it is about fostering a healthy, varied diet while minimising waste. 

Is there a message you’d like to share with the Valley community?  

Change is always challenging but necessary if we want a more robust, future-proof food system. Of course, change isn’t going to happen overnight. But our long term commitments to creating this future are something we can feel proud of every day, with every step we take.

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Valley Partner Planted, the Swiss FoodTech pioneer for plant-based meat made exclusively from clean ingredients, is further investing in capacity expansion with the addition of a new production facility in southern Germany. Based on fermentation technology, the site will become the most modern production facility for plant-based meat in Europe. Green technology plays a central role in the construction of the new plant.

The demand for environmentally friendly food has increased rapidly, and the recently launched steak has been particularly appealing to European consumers and restaurateurs. Planted is therefore continuing to ramp up its capacities. Planted is convinced that biostructured proteins will surpass animal meat in the future, in terms of flavour, sustainability, health, productivity and price.

Research and production has been carried out at the main site in Kemptthal, Switzerland, since 2020. The German market now accounts for the largest share of the 75% of exports. With the aim of producing as close and locally to consumers as possible, Planted has now decided to open another production site in Memmingen, Bavaria, Germany. An old brewery site is being revitalized to create the most modern European production facility for plant-based meat. At the Memmingen site, Planted will create more than 50 technical and operational jobs and produce more than 20 tons of plant-based meat per day in the medium term.

The headquarters in Kemptthal will continue to maintain its production and importance, particularly for the Swiss market.

Better proteins: Planted’s whole-muscle platform

In April this year, Planted presented its latest culinary innovation: the planted.steak. A new type of fermented plant-based steak that is available in numerous European restaurant establishments as well as in various retailers across Switzerland and Germany. The planted.steak is the first product of Planted’s ‘Whole Muscle’ platform, a ground-breaking innovation platform for premium cuts of meat, where the muscle grows through proprietary fermentation processes. In spring 2024, the strategic expansion of the production capacity in Kemptthal began with a state-of-the-art fermentation plant. This expansion will now be continued at the new production site in Memmingen.

‘Our international expansion follows the strategic decision to bolster our biotechnological expertise and locations abroad, closer to our consumers. Our goal is to quickly bring innovative products from our fermentation platform to the market. In particular the planted.steak, which currently uses our most advanced and disruptive fermentation technology in terms of scalability, flavour and product quality,’ explains Lukas Böni, co-founder and member of the Executive Board at Planted. ‘The investment in the additional production site enables us to meet the rapidly growing market demand and produce even closer to our German consumers,’ continues Lukas Böni.

Green Technology: Leading the way in sustainable food production

‘We are proud to be one of the few innovators of plant-based meat who covers as many steps as possible in the value chain – from research and development to industrial production,’ explains Lukas Böni. ‘This depth of value creation allows us to develop our vision of ‘better proteins’ even more strongly and will be implemented at the new plant in Memmingen, for example, when it comes to green technology and sustainable production,’ continues Böni.

Green technology plays a central role in the construction of the new plant. The site will be operating almost completely CO2 neutral and will be entirely free of fossil fuels – instead, a well cooling system, district heating from wood burning and photovoltaics will be used. This ensures that all the energy used to manufacture Planted meats at the new plant come from renewable sources. Planted is therefore a pioneer and shows what the energy transition in food production can look like.

Planted is implementing the project in Memmingen together with the local Alois Müller Group, who specialises in sustainable energy and the strategic development of decentralised infrastructures supplied with sustainable energy. Andreas Müller, Managing Director of the Alois Müller Group, is enthusiastic: ‘We are very pleased to be working with Planted, particularly in the areas of sustainability on site and regarding our expertise in the technical implementation of sustainable solutions in building technology. For example, the plant is supplied with photovoltaic power, a well cooling system and regionally generated district heating in an almost CO2-neutral way.

Up to 97% less CO2 emissions

Planted products are not only a culinary innovation, but also a scalable and sustainable solution to the environmental challenges associated with industrial meat production – with the planted.steak particularly amongst those associated with beef production. Compared to its animal counterpart, the production of a planted.steak produces 97% less CO2 emissions and 81% less water consumption per kilogram.

In Memmingen, around 5000 tons of plant-based meat will be produced annually. This will lead to high CO2 savings compared to animal meat – savings that correspond to the annual CO2 emissions of around half the residents of the city of Memmingen.

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Swiss technology group Bühler is pleased to announce the acquisition of Esau & Hueber, a German company specializing in individual solutions in hygienic process and fermentation technology in the beverage, food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology sectors. The acquisition enhances Bühler’s malting, brewery, and sustainable protein businesses, expanding the company’s expertise and capacity in these areas while multiplying the reach of Esau & Hueber’s technology across Bühler’s global network.

“This acquisition aligns perfectly with our long-term strategic objectives,” said Johannes Wick, CEO of Grains & Food business at Bühler. “By leveraging Esau & Hueber’s strengths in brewery and sustainable protein areas, we can provide superior solutions to our customers in these sectors.” This strategic acquisition is set to fill technological gaps and strengthen Bühler’s position as an industry innovator.

Esau & Hueber is an independently managed manufacturer with 42 employees and supports its clients in all project phases. It designs and builds high-tech facilities and develops advanced processing technology. Esau & Hueber holds strong expertise in yeast and fermentation management, as well as automation. Esau & Hueber will continue to operate from its home in Schrobenhausen.

Bühler Group is a global leading technology company in the fields of food, feed, and mobility. Among its areas of expertise, it provides customers worldwide with cutting-edge solutions in malting and brewing. Its technology covers the entire process, from raw material processing to producing the finest malt and beer. Additionally, Bühler’s technology can monitor product quality with advanced sensors and automate the production process with digital services.

“We are delighted to welcome Esau & Hueber to Bühler. The acquisition presents a unique opportunity to integrate Esau & Hueber capabilities and better meet the evolving needs of our global customers,” said Ian Roberts, CTO at Bühler. “We see many opportunities to multiply their technology with the global reach of our business.”

Johannes Schulz-Hess, shareholder of Esau & Hueber, stated: “I am thrilled for the Esau & Hueber team. The recent successful developments within the company and its capabilities are now opening up entirely new dimensions and opportunities through the association with Bühler. This step will also greatly benefit our customers and create new market potential.”

The integration of Esau & Hueber will commence immediately, with specialized teams from both companies working closely to ensure a seamless integration process.

About Bühler

Bühler is driven by its purpose of creating innovations for a better world, balancing the needs of economy, humanity, and nature in all its decision-making processes. Billions of people come into contact with Bühler technologies as they cover their basic needs for food and mobility every day. Two billion people each day enjoy foods produced on Bühler equipment; and one billion people travel in vehicles manufactured using parts produced with Bühler solutions. Countless people wear eyeglasses, use smart phones, and read newspapers and magazines – all of which depend on Bühler process technologies and solutions. Having this global relevance, Bühler is in a unique position to turn today’s global challenges into sustainable business.

As a technology partner for the food, feed, and mobility industries, Bühler has committed to having solutions ready to multiply by 2025 that reduce energy, waste, and water by 50% in the value chains of its customers. It also proactively collaborates with suppliers to reduce climate impacts throughout the value chain. In its own operations, Bühler has developed a pathway to achieve a 60% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scopes 1 & 2, against a 2019 baseline).

Bühler spends up to 5% of turnover on research and development annually to improve both the commercial and sustainability performance of its solutions, products, and services. In 2023, some 12,500 employees generated a turnover of CHF 3.0 billion. As a Swiss family-owned company with a history spanning 164 years, Bühler is active in 140 countries around the world and operates a global network of 105 service stations, 30 manufacturing sites, and Application & Training Centers in 25 locations. To find out more visit their website.

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A Letter of Intent between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley (SFNV) will lay strong foundations for an impactful partnership to scale innovative solutions and drive agrifood systems transformation.

23 August 2024, Vaud – The FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, the President of SFNV’s Steering Committee, Marie-France Tschudin, and SFNV’s Chief Executive Officer, Christina Senn-Jakobsen, signed a Letter of Intent to create mechanisms to develop innovative solutions to address the root causes and mitigate the consequences of agrifood systems challenges that currently constrain progress. 

Switzerland’s thriving food ecosystem is developing a wealth of innovations to tackle some of the most pressing global food challenges. FAO and SFNV will establish a closer collaboration in the areas of innovation, healthy diets and nutrition.

The new FAO-SFNV collaboration will focus on:

1. Innovative solutions
Creating a mechanism to identify, develop, refine, and scale innovative solutions in agrifood systems to contribute to healthy diets and nutrition.

2. Addressing healthy diets and nutrition
Targeting issues related to healthy diets for all, nutrition for the most vulnerable, safe food for everyone, and reducing food loss and waste.

3. Leveraging Swiss leadership
Drawing on Switzerland’s strengths in science, technology, innovation business and sustainability to cultivate impactful and scalable solutions for agrifood systems.

4. Promoting inclusivity
Introducing solutions that can be implemented in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, benefiting marginalised groups including family farmers, cooperatives, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the development, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said “We are excited to embark on this collaboration with the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley as it is an important partnership for us as we work together to ensure healthy diets and nutrition for all. By collaborating and leveraging innovative solutions and Swiss expertise, we can be more optimistic about some of the most pressing challenges currently facing global agrifood systems.”

President of the SFNV Steering Committee, Marie-France Tschudin added “To future-proof our food systems, close collaboration between national and international actors is essential. Partnering with FAO will allow us to build bridges and scale solutions that not only tackle global nutrition challenges but also support sustainable development and inclusivity across diverse communities worldwide.”

The Letter of Intent was signed at an event held at Agropole at Molondin, a Vaud-based campus dedicated to shaping the future of food. QU Dongyu, the FAO delegation and colleagues from Switzerland’s Federal Office for Agriculture exchanged with three leading Swiss startups and SFNV Valley partners – CleanGreens Solutions, Vivent Biosignals and Ecorobotix – and received first-hand experience of some Swiss innovative solutions.

About FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations leading international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members – 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. The FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, located in the Palais des Nations, is working with Swiss-based partners to achieve FAO’s corporate goal and the wider Sustainable Development Agenda.

Find out more: https://www.fao.org/home/en

About Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley

Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley (SFNV) is a not-for-profit association founded in 2020 that strengthens and promotes food system innovation, both within Switzerland and across the globe. Our diverse network of 150 Valley partners – from global companies, universities, innovation accelerators to government bodies, SMEs and startups – collaborate to address the most pressing challenges in food, agriculture and nutrition, and co-create innovative solutions that drive better planetary and human health.

For more information, interviews or additional photos, contact Laura Robinson, SFNV’s Head of Communications at news@sfnv.ch. 

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Valley partner Haelixa and regenagri have joined forces to spearhead the advancement of regenerative agriculture. Their innovative approach to monitoring and improving regenerative farming systems and ensuring the integrity of the supply chain using forensic science. Central to this approach is DNA marking and testing, a pioneering technology that transforms the traceability and verification of regenagri-certified products.

Valley partner Haelixa is the first traceability provider approved for the recently launched regenagri Traceability Programme.

Haelixa’s marking and testing involve adding unique, identifiable DNA sequences onto raw materials. These markers can be traced through every stage of the supply chain, ensuring that the raw materials used in regenagri products are genuine and meet stringent standards. The testing method at each node is qPCR, which provides a forensic result. Haelixa’s reports comply with import and export regulations worldwide, providing proof of the product’s origination. The DNA testing by Haelixa provides a reliable third-party method to verify the data supporting the chain of custody.

The collaboration between Haelixa and regenagri sets a new benchmark for regenerative agriculture. By integrating advanced DNA marking and testing technology, this partnership ensures the highest levels of traceability. It supports the integrity of regenagri claims throughout the supply chain, from farms to finished products. This joint effort drives the global movement towards more transparent and resilient agricultural systems, benefiting consumers, farmers, and the environment.

Haelixa is equally committed to enhancing trust and verification across the food and textile industries. “Our DNA technology is designed to provide an unmatched level of assurance regarding the origin of products,” said Gediminas Mikutis, CTO of Haelixa. “Through the partnership with regenagri, we extend these benefits to the regenerative sector, ensuring that certified products are trustworthy and verified.”

Franco Constantini, regenagri CEO, explains that launching the regenagri Traceability Programme represents a significant leap forward in the organisation’s commitment to integrity and transparency. He says, “It addresses the growing demand for rigorous traceability assurance, confirming the origin of regenagri products with unparalleled precision.”

regenagri, in partnership with Haelixa, provides forensic-based and digital traceability solutions, establishing a new industry standard. This demonstrates a commitment to enhancing trust and verification in sustainable farming practices, benefiting consumers, farmers, and the environment.

About Haelixa

Haelixa revolutionises supply chain traceability with Swiss DNA marking technology. The solution ensures complete transparency from raw materials to finished products. Simple and easy to install, Haelixa helps customers comply with regulations, validate product claims, prevent scandals, and maintain brand trust.
https://www.haelixa.com

About regenagri

regenagri® is a global regenerative agriculture framework for securing the health of the land and the wealth of those who live on it. It supports farms and organisations to transition to holistic farming systems that increase soil health, encourage biodiversity, reduce carbon footprint and enhance climate resilience. regenagri® provides standards and digital tools to certify impact and to assure the integrity of regenagri materials from farms to finished products. The regenagri® program is owned and managed by Regenagri C.i.C., a Community Interest Company registered in the United Kingdom.
https://regenagri.org/

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We recently held our third Impact Forum event, featuring four distinguished speakers who shared their insights on accelerating regenerative farming practices to restore harmony with nature. The event highlighted the urgent need to adopt regenerative agriculture as a solution to live within planetary boundaries. Read on to explore some of the key insights from the event.

Key Takeaways

• Farmer-centric approaches: Success in regenerative agriculture starts with educating and supporting farmers through training, community building, and funding mechanisms.
• Collaboration is key: Effective partnerships among farmers, researchers, companies, and other relevant organizations and associations are vital for accelerating the adoption of regenerative practices.
• Outcome-based measures: Regenerative farming prioritises implementing approaches that improve soil health and biodiversity. While this may lead to a temporary reduction in quantity during the transition phase, over time the system usually becomes even more productive.

Alex von Hettlingen, Regenerative Schweiz 

• Alex von Hetlingen spoke about the importance of farmer education and community support in regenerative agriculture. He spoke about Regenerative Schweiz’s specialised courses for different types of farmers, including arable, vegetable, and forage production.
• He also discussed the key principles of regenerative agriculture: soil biome restoration, plant and animal health, and local nutrient and water cycles.
• Alex emphasised that there is no quick fix, there is a need for soil research, and that there is no regenerative economy without restored soils.

Anita Frehner, FiBL

• Anita Frehner expanded the perspective from production to the entire food system, stressing the importance of policy interventions to support sustainable farming practices through subsidies and legal requirements.
• She spoke about the need for holistic solutions, with the need for reduced food waste and dietary changes alongside changes in farming practices.
• Anita also emphasised the need for collaboration among different sustainable farming practices to achieve broader sustainability goals.

Piera Waibel, Earthworm Foundation

• Piera gave us an introduction to Earthworm Foundation and its regenerative agriculture transition projects. The foundation collaborates with companies to improve their supply chains, focusing on holistic and collaborative methods.
• She spoke about success factors for scaling these kinds of projects, including collaboration across value chains, baseline assessments to determine context specific improvement potential, and funding mechanisms to support farmers during the transition.
• Piera stressed the importance of collective commitment and engagement across the entire value chain. She also shared that transitions should focus not only on environmental outcomes but also consider social aspects like farmer autonomy and resilience.

Philippe Birker, Climate Farmers 

• Philippe Birker highlighted the failures of the current agricultural system, including ecological degradation, economic inefficiencies, and social challenges faced by farmers.
• He discussed Climate Farmers’ key initiatives, including connecting farmers with events and training, policy engagement, and providing practical tools like holistic context assessments, carbon credit schemes, and regenerative agriculture verification to support farmers practically.
• Phillippe highlighted the importance of making farming appealing again through regenerative practices and community support. He called for increased collaboration across the sector, and stressed the importance of data and verification to ensure practices are genuinely regenerative to avoid greenwashing.

Regenerative farming for a healthier future

The event concluded with a Q&A session, where we cleared up a few critical points concerning regenerative vs. organic farming. Regenerative agriculture is outcome-based and focuses on soil health and biodiversity, while organic farming is practice-based with strict input restrictions.

The integration of regenerative farming holds great promise for improving environmental sustainability, food security, and resilience. Collaboration, education, and innovation are key to realising its full potential.

Thanks to everyone who joined us! 

Hungry for more? We’ll be hosting three more Impact Forums on the topics of precision nutrition, sustainable packaging, and sustainable protein in Q3 and Q4. Click on the links to save your space for free.  

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