Join to hear success stories from the Food Province of Finland’s research and innovation work in the food system and get familiar with Seinäjoki based world class food companies via business tours.

The Innovative Food Business event will be organized in the city of Seinäjoki, South Ostrobothnia, as one of the events during Food Days Seinäjoki, the collaborative event week that is themed around food, innovation and business.

The Innovative Food Business event is directed for the international and national partners and stakeholders, with the interest towards developing the food sector. The event will offer insights to world class food innovations, examples on how the RDI sector collaborates with the region’s companies to foster health, and great examples on how do we compat climate change.

We warmly welcome you to join this event!

Program

08:30 REGISTRATION AND NETWORKING

09:00 OPENING SESSION

• Welcoming words - Jaakko Hallila, President and CEO, Seinäjoki University of Applied Science
• Experience food province with all your senses - Terhi Välisalo, ProAgria / South Ostrobotnia Rural Women's Advisory Organization
• International cooperation with our regional RDI organisations, including project proposals
  • Taru Mäki, Seinäjoki University of Applied Science
  • Pia Kattelus, Regional Council of South Ostrobotnia
  • Hannemari Niemi, Into Seinäjoki Oy
  • Olli-Pekka Viinamäki, University Consortium of Seinäjoki

10:00 COFFEE AND NETWORKING

10:30 PARALLEL SESSIONS IN DIFFERENT THEMES, choose your session

• Health and Wellbeing - fostering wellbeing through nutrition and healthy food products
  • Digitalising sustainability management in farming: the case of farm animal welfare - Jarkko Niemi, Research Professor, Natural Resources Institute Finland
  • Me, My Health and My Food - Harri Luomala, Research Professor, University of Vaasa
  • EQVegan – training modules for sustainable change in the food industry - Gun Wirtanen, Senior Adviser, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences
  • Food reformulation and wellbeing -  Terhi Junkkari, Principal Lecturer, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences
  • Innovations towards healthier food - Mikko Immonen, Research Scientist, Valio
• Food Innovations from South Ostrobothnia conquering international markets
  • Innovative and sustainable product development to niche markets - Shirin Namiq, Development Director, Voihan Vuohi Ltd
  • Innovative food product development – from national TV-show to ecosystem partnerships - Suvi Luoma, Insight Director, Foodwest Ltd
  • The fascinating story behind the award winning rye distillery - Reija Penttinen, Kyrö Distillery Ltd
• Climate Change Combat 
  • Innovative solutions to reduce food waste at buffets - Lotta Alhonnoro, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Vaasa
  • Exploitation of raw material of animal origin and the global need for utilization of the Honkajoki concept - Reetta Nevala, Director of operations and business consulting, Honkajoki Group
  • Peatlands and agriculture - impossible combination for climate change? - Risto Lauhanen, Senior RDI Expert & Associate Professor, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences

12:00 LUNCH AND NETWORKING

13:00 SEINÄJOKI BUSINESS TOURS TO WORLD CLASS FOOD INNOVATORS, choose your route. Both tours will stop at Kalevan Navetta and Rytmikorjaamo when ending.

• Sustainable Food Chain TOUR
  • Sustainable and responsible food chain is a matter of honor in South Ostrobothnia. Welcome to get to know the Finnish food chain from the farm all the way to the store shelf. During the tour we get an opportunity to visit a farm specialized in pork production and one of Northern Europe's leading companies in the meat and food industry. Max. 30 attendants.

    • Atria Showroom

    • Atria Ltd. incl. Logistic Center

    • Etelä-Pohjanmaan Osuuskauppa, hypermarket Prisma

• Developing New Innovations TOUR
  • New innovations are created based on our own experiences and expertise as well as consumer knowledge. On this tour, we will hear how a greenhouse farmer has developed a new carousel method and a technological solution to make farming more efficient. We visit a company specialized in a development of food industry with a recipe for success. Finally, we get a chance to visit the food laboratories of Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences where innovations are carefully created and refined. Max. 30 attendants.

    • Hortimill Ltd.

    • JPT-Industria Ltd.

    • Foodwest Ltd.

    • Frami Food Labs of Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences

17.00 AFTER WORK COCTAIL HOUR NETWORKING @ Kalevan Navetta

• Informal evening networking, coctails and finger food to enjoy
• We will be joined by some of the food startup and innovation oriented InnoFood event participants and speakers.

Food Days Seinäjoki event week

Innovative Food Business event is organized as part of Food Days Seinäjoki event week. Food Days brings food system innovators and the best place for food business together in Seinäjoki, Finland.

During the event days we show case the strong food system competence, innovative food system development nationally and internationally and inspire with new innovations in the food sector. Food Days offers for researchers, innovators and startups. 

One example of other events during Food Days is InnoFood event on 7.-8.9.2023 organized by Ruralia / University of Helsinki in Seinäjoki.