The future is coming faster than many companies can keep pace with. This is especially true for actors in the food industry, as developments in STEM and climate change continue at speed. And nobody knows that better than the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI). This is why GDI launched a report delving deeper into their latest foresight model – GDI Major Shifts. 

In the world of food, understanding major global developments and interpreting plausible scenarios is vital for future planning and decision-making. That’s where the GDI’s latest report on their ‘Major Shifts’ model – which combines data-based analysis and interpretations to predict plausible future outcomes – comes in particularly useful. Identifying and explaining dynamic developments across sectors, the team at Switzerland’s oldest think tank shared a taste of what the food industry can learn from their analysis. 

GDI Major Shifts: An Overview

The GDI team identified 20 key shifts in five categories – society, technology, economy, environment and politics – and analysed their life cycles. The implications identified provide companies with precise and realistic indicators for successful long-term planning and alignment with future trends – as well as identifying business areas that will no longer be relevant.

Four key areas among the twenty major shifts have particular relevance for the food industry.

Circularity

The shift towards circularity is fundamentally changing the food sector. Circularity – closing resource loops and minimizing waste – has become a key driver of innovation and competitiveness:

• Waste as a resource: Companies are transforming food by-products into new ingredients and products, reducing landfill and creating added value.
• Regenerative supply chains: Circular models prioritize regenerative agriculture, compostable packaging, and reusable systems, restoring ecosystems and reducing environmental impact.
• New business models: The demand for zero-waste and circular solutions is fueling innovations such as upcycled foods, refill systems, and digital platforms for food redistribution.

Biologisation

Biologisation marks the transition from mechanical and industrial approaches to biological and organic solutions. In the food sector, this means a shift toward:

• Bio-based ingredients and production: Expect a surge in foods produced using fermentation, cultured cells, or engineered microorganisms. These technologies promise more sustainable, resource-efficient alternatives to traditional agriculture.
• Convergence of biology and technology: The integration of biotech, data science, and engineering will enable personalized nutrition, precision fermentation, and new functional foods tailored to individual health profiles.
• Sustainability as a core driver: As the demand for climate-friendly, ethically produced food grows, companies that embrace biotechnological innovation will set new industry standards and capture emerging markets.

Decarbonisation

The pressure on the food sector to reduce its CO₂ footprint is increasing rapidly.

• Decarbonisation – the transition from fossil fuels to renewable, carbon-free energy sources – is becoming a key competitive factor:
• Climate-neutral production: Food manufacturers are investing in renewable energy, electrifying processes, and adopting low-carbon logistics to reduce emissions along the entire value chain.
• Transparency and reporting: More and more consumers and business partners are demanding proof of the climate impact of products. Companies that transparently disclose and reduce their emissions strengthen their market position.
• New business models: The demand for climate-friendly products is creating space for innovation – from CO₂-neutral brands to climate-conscious gastronomy and sustainable delivery services.

Regenerative agriculture

Regenerative agriculture is moving from a niche concept to a mainstream imperative. Its impact on the food industry includes:

• Supply chain transformation: Food companies are increasingly investing in regenerative practices that restore soil health, boost biodiversity, and sequester carbon. This not only mitigates environmental impact but also addresses growing consumer demand for transparency and sustainability.
• Shorter, more transparent value chains: Regenerative models favor local sourcing, traceability, and direct relationships between producers and consumers, challenging the dominance of globalized, opaque supply chains.
• Competitive advantages through ecosystem stewardship: Brands that adopt regenerative principles are poised to lead, as regulatory pressure and investor expectations around sustainability intensify.

The main takeaway?

The companies who invest now in biotechnology, regenerative systems, circularity and decarbonisation – which analysis shows are heavily interlinked – will secure a pole position in the food market of the future. The next food revolution will be organic, regenerative and circular.

Eager to dive deeper? Contact Susan Shaw, Head of Strategic Foresight at GDI.

About the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI)

The Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI) is Switzerland’s oldest think-tank. A place of inspiration and innovation where strategic visions are expounded, the GDI provides a forum for key decision-makers to shape the future of the economy and society. The GDI unites research and industry-relevant applications to define path-breaking strategies in tandem with business. This institute, which operates independently, is supported by the Migros Culture Percentage.

gdi.ch

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Many startups applied. 15 made it to the public vote. Now just five remain. The 2025 Igeho Rising Star Award is designed to provide emerging companies in hospitality with an opportunity to showcase their businesses, raise awareness of their innovations, and connect with industry professionals.

As Switzerland’s leading international hospitality industry platform, Igeho aims to use this award to drive innovation by offering startups a platform and networking opportunities, in collaboration with Swiss Food and Nutrition Valley. 

So who are the lucky five finalists? We sat down with them all to find out what sets them apart and why they think they deserve to be crowned winners of the 2025 Igeho Rising Star Award.

🐟 Catchfree – Plant-based seafood alternatives

What we do:
Catchfree reimagines seafood – without the fish. We craft plant-based alternatives that deliver the taste and texture of the ocean, without harming marine ecosystems.

Why we deserve to win:
We’re not just offering another alt-protein – we’re tackling one of the most unsustainable sectors in food. Winning this award would spotlight innovation that protects our oceans and supports a more resilient food system.

♻️ Circunis – Digital marketplace for surplus food

What we do:
Circunis is a smart B2B platform that connects businesses with surplus food to buyers who can use it — turning waste into value through real-time, traceable transactions.

Why we deserve to win:
Food waste is a trillion-dollar problem, and we’re solving it with tech that’s easy to adopt and scale. This award would amplify a solution that’s good for both the planet and the bottom line.

🌾 Foodflows – Authentic farm-to-table sourcing with Brazilian growers

What we do:
Foodflows improves how chefs and restaurants source foods from abroad — making supply chains shorter, fresher, and fairer through a collective and innovative platform.

Why we deserve to win:
We’re bringing transparency and trust back into food sourcing and onto menus, addressing the root cause rather than the symptoms of our food system’s issues.

🤖 GoNina – AI-driven forecasting for food businesses

What we do:
GoNina uses AI to predict demand in food businesses like bakeries — helping them order smarter, prep efficiently, and reduce food waste without compromising their core offering.

Why we deserve to win:
We help food businesses thrive in an unpredictable world. With rising costs and high waste, our tech empowers businesses to stay ahead — and that’s the kind of innovation the food sector needs.

🍄 Yumame Foods – Innovative fungi-based food products

What we do:
Yumame harnesses the power of fungi to create delicious, nutritious, and sustainable food — offering a new generation of minimally processed, plant-based products without compromise. 

Why we deserve to win:
We’re not following trends — we’re setting them. Our fermentation-based approach unlocks scalable, tasty, and nutrient-rich plant-based food that can transform how we eat.

Pitching to an expert jury

All finalists will present their solutions on the Igeho 2025 stage on November 18, and answer questions from a jury composed of Swiss leaders in the field.

• Pascal Bieri, Co-Founder of Planted
• Dr Claus-Heinrich Daub, Professor of Sustainable Business Management at FHNW
• Marina Helm Romaneschi, Marketing & Innovation Strategy at Swiss Food Research
• Christine Schäfer, Senior Researcher at the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute. 
• Rebecca Clopath, an Alpine natural chef
• Christian Gerber, Head of Innovation Management at ZFV.

All 15 start-ups that participated in the public voting for the Rising Star Award will have the opportunity to showcase their innovations to the Swiss hospitality audience over two days at Igeho 2025 in Basel. In addition to the five finalists, the following start-ups will also be exhibiting at the trade fair: Actidot, FoodFor, Hexafed, LOVYÜ, Niatsu, Sanvitafood, Saya Suka, SwissMiso, and TrueFoods.

www.igeho.ch 

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Valley partner, Nestlé R&D has teamed up with IBM Research to develop new tools that leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence and deep tech to bring breakthrough innovations to life. This research collaboration has led to the development of a generative AI tool that can identify novel high-barrier packaging materials.

Why Packaging Innovation Matters

Packaging helps to protect food and beverages while also preventing food waste. Nestlé is continuously reducing the use of virgin plastic, pioneering the use alternative materials and novel technologies, and moving to recyclable mono-material and paper-based solutions. Identifying new packaging materials that meet each product’s functional needs while ensuring food safety and quality is often meticulous. In some cases, this requires years of research.

Nestlé and IBM scientists leveraged AI-based processing techniques1 to construct a knowledge base of known materials from public and proprietary documents. Subsequently, the team fine-tuned a fit-for-purpose chemical language model on this curated corpus, enabling it to learn the representation of the molecular structures. Using that knowledge, the teams leveraged the recently developed regression transformer2 by IBM Research to learn the correlation between key structural molecular features and the resulting physical-chemical properties. The resulting model can now propose entirely new high-barrier packaging materials that shield sensitive products from moisture, temperature swings and oxygen.

Identifying future packaging materials

Nestlé will utilize this novel technology to identify future packaging materials, while considering cost, recyclability, and functionality.

Stefan Palzer, Nestlé Chief Technology Officer: “This novel AI-powered language model, developed in collaboration with IBM Research, illustrates how Nestlé is leading the digital transformation within the food and beverage industry. In the future, such breakthrough technology could be used to optimize the development of more sustainable packaging solutions across product categories.”

Alessandro Curioni, IBM Research VP Europe & Africa: “We do believe that Generative AI will continue to disrupt scientific discovery, impacting the core business of all knowledge-based industries, allowing critical differentiation and sustainable growth.”

Beyond Packaging: AI Across Nestlé’s Operations

Nestlé continues to leverage AI, machine learning, data science and automation to support innovation and help manage complexities. For example, Nestlé has developed a recipe optimization tool that uses advanced algorithms to help product developers better manage tradeoffs between ingredients, nutrition, cost and sustainability, while still meeting consumer expectations. The company also uses digital twins of equipment and production lines to optimize manufacturing processes and has developed digital tools to deliver personalized nutrition solutions for people and pets.

Nestlé recently announced the creation of a new R&D center for deep tech, a first-of-its-kind in the food and nutrition industry. 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.

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Valley partner Bühler is making strides in bridging industrial challenges with innovation through Scale-Up Day, held during the company’s Networking Days. On June 25 in Uzwil, the Scale-Up Day brought together 21 carefully selected, high-impact scale-ups – mature start-ups with proven technologies – to connect directly with Bühler’s global customers, partners, and investors.

With companies focused on food system transformation, climate mitigation, and sustainable materials, Scale-Up Day created a platform for building partnerships and multiplying real-world solutions. 

“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. These companies are solving problems our customers face today, or will face soon,” said Thierry Duvanel, Director of Innovation at Bühler North America. “By giving them this platform, we hope to spark new partnerships, fresh ideas, and real business opportunities.”

The aim of Scale-Up Day was to help solve real problems facing Bühler’s customers. By carefully selecting companies that address defined industry challenges in food, sustainability, and climate solutions, the event created opportunities for synergies, partnerships, and concrete action. Whether that’s joint go-to-market, deployment with customers or access to financing, this global network offers huge potential for multiplication – enabling scale-ups to grow their businesses while multiplying the impact of their solutions.

Each scale-up had access to the decision-makers attending Networking Days, encouraging in-depth conversations and potential collaborations. “We wanted our customers to walk away with not just inspiration, but action points and real partnerships that lead to real deployment,” said Duvanel. “At the same time, the scale-ups had a unique opportunity to connect with potential multiplication partners – those who can help grow their businesses while scaling the impact of their solutions.”

Transforming the world

Mature start-ups selected for this year’s Scale-Up Day offer proven technologies – not just early-stage ideas. Many are already operational, funded, and scaling, with strong teams, validated solutions, and a clear industrial fit. Over a rigorous six- to eight-week selection process, Bühler collaborated with leading venture capital firms and partners – including Big Idea Ventures, SOSV, the Swiss Entrepreneur Fund, Synthesis Capital, ICOS Capital, and the MassChallenge Switzerland start-up accelerator – to identify candidates with traction, relevance, and the capacity to grow.

“We look for big ideas which, if we can make them a reality, will completely transform the world,” said Andrew Ive, Founder of Big Idea Ventures. “We believe that working with the best start-ups and bringing them together with the best corporates allows us to scale up these technologies that are going to have a positive global impact.”

The selection process resulted in a curated group of companies delivering tangible solutions across three innovation fronts: food systems transition, including novel ingredients, fermentation, alternative proteins, and food processing; climate change mitigation, encompassing industrial decarbonization, energy systems, and circularity; and sustainable materials, focused on biomanufactured and low-impact materials ready to scale.

Multiplying impact together

The Scale-Up Day took place as part of Bühler’s Networking Days 2025, a global industry platform that convened over 1,200 decision-makers at the company’s headquarters in Uzwil. 

Held every three years, the event brings together stakeholders from the food, feed, and sustainable mobility and materials sectors. With the 2025 theme “Multiplying impact together,” the event’s focus was on the solutions available today that build successful businesses and create positive impact at scale. Within this context, the scale-ups were provided with a unique opportunity to present their solutions to an audience of leading players in relevant industries. 

Farmtory, for example, has built a flexible, low-cost biomanufacturing system to produce peptides. The company, from Suzhou, China, has already commercialized a peptide-based sweetener based upon brazzein, a sweet-tasting protein that occurs naturally in oubli, a fruit from Central Africa, as well as a range of peptides that increase taste sensitivity to salt, allowing food producers to reduce the salt content of their recipes. 

“We are here to talk to anyone who might benefit from our peptide production capabilities,” said James Wu, CEO and Co-Founder of the company. “And we are also looking for partners to help us meet our ambition of producing a comprehensive range of dairy-replacement proteins at large scale.”

Bühler reports it recognizes that the challenges industry faces are too big to be tackled by any one company. The Scale-Up Day is part of its ongoing commitment to develop and nurture a global innovation ecosystem of start-ups, accelerators, incubators, and investment funds.

“What makes our approach unique is our culture of innovation, experimentation and openness, and our willingness to share our ecosystem with our customers,” said Ian Roberts, CTO at Bühler. “The Scale-Up Day had the potential to create powerful, lasting partnerships – connecting companies in our customer base, which have big supply chains and global reach, with a curated group of smaller businesses with great ideas and proven technologies. That’s the sort of marriage that creates multiplication.”

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