FCN | News

In an environment where groupthink or the dominant ego of the key decision-maker reigns supreme, critical factors may slip through the cracks. So, what does a good decision-making process look like: • Challenge your assumptions, thoughts, and conclusions in controversial debates • Invite opponents instead of yes-men • Avoid letting groupthink prevail • Assign individuals to deliberately question your assumptions. In our recent deliberation, we concluded that the parallel development of organic and conventional product lines could mutually benefit each other, leading to faster profitability. Effective leadership isn't just about making decisions; it's about nurturing an environment where openness and diversity of thought thrive. This is the bedrock for successful and sustainable innovation. How does your company approach innovation and decision-making? Share your insights! Let's continue the conversation.

The Biofach 2024 - one of the world‘s leading trade fair for organic food - took place from February 13 to 16 in Nuremberg. Matthias Heume participated in this world-leading event: Last week's discussions at the BIOFACH / VIVANESS trade fair in Nuremberg sparked a thought-provoking debate: Should we exclusively transition our product line to organic production, or is there room to develop both organic and conventional products in parallel? In essence, it boiled down to a question of dogma versus pragmatism. When it comes to birthing a new product, emotions run high, and unwavering conviction in our business idea is natural. However, it is crucial to temper this passion with a dose of economic reality and consumer insights. This is where effective decision- making comes into play — a process heavily influenced by organizational culture.

Transformation of Biomass into Next Generation Proteins for Food and Feed to strengthen food security, sustainability and self-sufficiency of EU protein production. The FCN partner Matthias visited the conference in Bremerhaven from September 7 to 8. Reach out to Matthias to get an update on recent protein developments and to discuss your ideas and needs.

Anuga is the world's leading trade fair for food and beverages - lively, diverse, dynamic. The FCN partner Matthias visited the ANUGA in Cologne from October 7 to 10. Reach out to Matthias to talk about R&D support and innovation consulting.

Fi Europe Conference took place in Frankfurt from November 28 to 29. It was jam-packed with new product ideas, industry insights and the latest research. 1,200 exhibitor and 25,000 visitors made the three days a success. Several presentations were given at the „insight center“. Friends of the FCN and the partners Henri, Hermann, Nico, Matthias, Paolo and Steffen participated in this world-leading event. Topics including food safety, hygiene, regulatory, food product labeling, development for food products, spices from all over the world, flavour creation, business development, coating for pharma products, customer-focused innovation, alternative proteins and improving organizational R&D designs were discussed. Join us to boost your ingredients and products.

CPhI - a global community advancing human health. At the heart of pharma for over 30 years. The FCN partners Paolo, Nico and Steffen visited the CPhI in Barcelona from October 24 to 26. Reach out to the experts to talk about business development, regulatory and synthesis projects.

The recent NextGenProteins conference in Bremerhaven, Germany, and the Sourcing Trends conference last week at Getreidezentrum Detmold in Detmold, Germany, underscored the ongoing trend of increased consumer interest in sustainable food production and animal welfare. Simultaneously, consumers are unwilling to compromise on taste, texture, convenience, and cost of their food. And rightly so. The current economic environment has heightened price sensitivity in the supermarket aisles. As a result, the vegetable protein category in particular is in a period of consolidation, illustrated by the "trough of disillusionment" on the Gartner Hype Cycle graph. On the other side of the coin, food technologists and product developers continue to work on improved ingredients and new formulations to narrow the gap between plant-based proteins and their animal-based counterparts. As we all know, taste is king. The vegan cevapcicis we had on our plate the other day were truly mouthwatering. We expect the portfolio of minimally processed plant-based proteins to further expand and find more widespread applications. This will lead to further growth of the alternative protein category.

Vitafoods Europe is the place to be for networking, collaboration and innovation. The FCN partners Nico and Paolo will visit the Vitafoods in Geneva on all three days from 9 to 11. Please talk to these experts about regulatory requirements and technical aspects related to nutraceuticals to make your future products fit for the European market.

Driving creativity and change, the 28th edition of Gulfood will continue to unite food and beverage communities around the world. The FCN partners Simon and Heiko attended the Gulfood in Dubai from February 20 to 24th. Please contact them to talk about market research and business development.

ISM - The world’s largest trade fair for sweets and snacks. A successful combination between impulses and innovations, exciting networking, first-class exhibitors and competent visitors forms an offer that is unique around the globe. The FCN partner Hermann will attend ISM in Cologne. Please reach out to Hermann to discuss your needs regarding food safety and quality.