About Sweden Food Arena

Sweden Food Arena is a national arena where food industry stakeholders collaborate for an innovative, sustainable, and competitive food sector. The arena is a result of the government’s Food Strategy, which aims to increase production and contribute to a competitive food supply chain, as well as increase employment, exports, innovation power, and profitability while achieving relevant environmental goals.

Together, we create a world-class food supply chain.

Sweden Food Arena is a national arena where food industry stakeholders collaborate for an innovative, sustainable, and competitive food sector. The arena is a result of the government’s Food Strategy, which aims to increase production and contribute to a competitive food supply chain, as well as increase employment, exports, innovation power, and profitability while achieving relevant environmental goals.

Together, we create a world-class food supply chain.

What do we do?

Stakeholders in the food industry collaborate on research and innovation for an innovative, sustainable, competitive, and growing food sector.

Why does Sweden Food Arena exist?

The food sector in Sweden has great potential. Foods make up Sweden’s third largest industry, but we need greater collaboration between sector stakeholders. By establishing an arena where areas like research, development, and innovation are managed and strengthened by the industry, we create conditions for a world-class Swedish food sector.

What do we want?

  • For Sweden’s food industry to be an engine of growth in the Swedish economy by 2030.

  • For the growth of the food sector to have increased.

  • For investments in food sector research and innovation to be on a par with other sectors.

  • To show that the food industry is prepared to invest in Sweden – with the support of institutes, universities, and more aggressive and focused government investments in food industry knowledge and innovation.

What will we do?

  • Jointly formulate the needs for research and innovation.

  • Work for better collaboration within the food supply chain as well as with the industrial sector, institutes, academia, and the public sector.

  • Get more stakeholders interested in participating in the arena.

What do we want?

  • For Sweden’s food industry to be an engine of growth in the Swedish economy by 2030.

  • For the growth of the food sector to have increased.

  • For investments in food sector research and innovation to be on a par with other sectors.

  • To show that the food industry is prepared to invest in Sweden – with the support of institutes, universities, and more aggressive and focused government investments in food industry knowledge and innovation.

What will we do?

  • Jointly formulate the needs for research and innovation.

  • Work for better collaboration within the food supply chain as well as with the industrial sector, institutes, academia, and the public sector.

  • Get more stakeholders interested in participating in the arena.

Board of Directors

Per Arfvidsson, Lantmännen, Chairman
Håkan Björklund, Axfood
Karin Brynell, Svensk Dagligvaruhandel
Håkan Christensson, Lyckeby Culinar
Patrik Hansson, Arla Foods
Björn Hellman, Livsmedelsföretagen
Anna-Karin Hatt, LRF
Malin Jennerholm, Orkla Confectionery & Snacks
Anna-Kajsa Lidell, LIVEKINDLY Collective
Andreas Sbrodiglia, ICA

Director of Operations

Marie Gidlund

Innovation leader

Kerstin Eriksson

Public Affairs Committee

Wictoria Bondesson, LRF
Martin Andersson, Svensk Dagligvaruhandel
Tove Larsson, Livsmedelsföretagen

Research and Innovation Committee

Robert Brummer, Örebro universitet
Anders Högberg, Orkla
Tomas Lagerberg, ABB
Elisabet Rytter, Livsmedelsföretagen
Charlotta Szcezpanowski, Coop
Ulf Sonesson, RISE
Peter Annas, Lantmännen
Jeanette Purhagen, Food Science Sweden
Lena Åsheim, LRF

Sweden Food Arena’s Research and Innovation Agenda

In order to contribute to the implementation of the government’s food strategy and to achieve our vision, goals, and missions, a joint focus on innovation and research in the food sector based on the needs of the industry is required.

We need new knowledge and expertise that will benefit the businesses as well as increased collaboration between businesses, government agencies, academia, and politics. With our Innovation and Research Agenda, we want to be a source of inspiration for thinking new, thinking big, and thinking together.

 

The world’s most attractive
food and drink

Competitive food
innovation

Food and drink for
a healthier life

A resource-efficient
food sector

Climate-neutral
food production

Who are we?

Sweden Food Arena currently has more than 30 members from across the food supply chain, from production to retail.

Livsmedelsföretagen
LRF
SVENSK DAGLIGVARUHANDEL
Bakels
Polarbröd
Saltwell
Svenskmärkning
Eurofins Food & Feed Testing Sweden
Micvac
Anthesis Enveco
Fazer
Siemens
StjärnÄgg
HKScan
ICA Sverige
Axfood
Lyckeby Culinar
The Absolut Company/Pernod Ricard
Orkla Confectionary & Snacks
Lantmännen ek förening
Food for Progress
Arla Foods
Vattenbrukscentrum Norr
Foodchain byBlockchain
STUA
Bama Nordic
Norrmejerier
Leksands
COOP
Löfbergs Lila
Swedish Match North Europe
Sveriges Bryggerier
Agroväst Livsmedel
Paulig
Sveriges Bagare och konditorer
VoltaGreentech
Svenska Bin
LIVEKINDLY Collective
Fiskeribranchens Riksförbund

Do you want to help develop conditions for the new innovative growth industry of the future? Then you should join Sweden Food Arena. We welcome both businesses and organisations in the Swedish food sector, as well as businesses in other industries that contribute to and help develop the food sector.

Sweden Food Arena and our Board have set ambitious but realistic goals for 2030:
• Sweden is among the top 3 in innovation rankings for the food sector in Europe.
• 50 new Swedish food innovations are generating a total turnover of 1 billion euros.
• The food sector is contributing to creating at least 50,000 new jobs in Sweden.
• The food sector’s export share has increased to 50 percent.

In order to achieve our goals, we need to engage more aspects of society. Innovative collaboration with government agencies as well as with academia and politics is necessary. We need to develop new methods of working. We call for policy labs to review regulatory frameworks, new types of announcements, and much more. Substantial investments in research and innovation in the food sector are required.

To gain sympathy from the relevant stakeholders, we need to be many, and we need to speak with one voice. We therefore hope that as many as possible will join us so that we can work together for sustainable food innovation – for more jobs in Sweden and for pleasure around the world.

As a member, you get:

• To participate in the journey towards an important and distinct goal: a world-class food sector!
• Invitations to work groups to develop our common research agenda.
• The opportunity to expand your network with contacts in politics and academia.
• Influence over how the platform is developed.
• More opportunities for projects in a wider circle.

If you have any questions or want to know more about our membership, please contact our innovation leader, Kerstin Eriksson.