Food(R)evolution

We’re wrapping up the Food (R)evolution research project but you can contact Foodback to learn more about the concept.

Project partners & background

Food(R)evolution has been a R&D project consisting of the main responsible Coor Service Management, together with 5 project partners: Orkla Foods Norway, HOFF SA, Foodback AS, Æra Strategic Innovation AS, and Nofima. Additionally, the project has received a total of approximately 12 million Norwegian kroner in support from the Research Council of Norway over the period 2021-2024.

The project started as an idea from Floke: Matfloken / The Meal of Tomorrow

A new business model

The project has looked into a new model for industry collaboration with technology as a central element.

The model involves food producers using their canteen operators' restaurants as a test arena in the development of new sustainable food products. The testing service will become a commercial service delivered by Foodback AS through partnerships with a wide range of HoReCa actors, preferably canteens initially. Paying customers will be food and beverage producers. There is also a desire to connect research actors as additional collaborators.

By utilizing a completely new collaboration arena as well as a Norwegian-developed technology platform, it will be possible to facilitate (1) better product development and a higher success rate for sustainable products in Norwegian grocery stores and large-scale catering, (2) more sustainable food consumption in Norwegian large-scale catering, and (3) more sustainable food consumption in Norwegian private households. Furthermore, the collaboration model will also facilitate increased research in the field and the sharing of insights between the research world and the food industry in general. We focus on changing both attitudes and actions.

Food choices and eating habits need to change – but why is it happening so slowly?

The accuracy of food producers' product development can be improved to ensure good products on the store shelves: Food producers continuously work on either (1) further developing existing products or (2) creating new products/innovations. This is a resource-demanding process – in terms of both time and costs. According to the Marketing Research Association, only 40% of the products developed actually make it to the market. And if the product reaches the market, there is an overwhelming likelihood that it will be withdrawn shortly after. In fact, 85-90% of new products don't survive the first year in the grocery sector (Nielsen). Both product development and, not least, marketing are costly for producers – and such a situation also results in a poorer selection for consumers. We believe that if we facilitate increased accuracy in the product development of tomorrow’s sustainable products, it will benefit both producers and consumers.

Sustainability competence for canteen staff must be raised and maintained:

Sustainability has become a crucial competitive parameter for canteen suppliers in Norway. In the past, price was perhaps the most important factor, but now there is a clear expectation from both customers and canteen guests that the canteen offering also has a clear green profile. Competence around new sustainable products and especially new product types requires systematic work. At the same time, the canteen sector in Norway has a staff group that in many cases holds certificates from a time when the concept of 'sustainability' wasn’t even a topic. Therefore, canteen operators must, as both service providers and employers, take clear responsibility for how they develop competence, knowledge, and familiarity with tomorrow's products.

We must change old behavior patterns through increased product knowledge:

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a sustainable diet should provide us with enough, healthy, and safe food, while ensuring that what we choose to eat doesn’t harm the planet either today or in the future. The challenge, however, is that only 26% find it easy to know which food and drink products are sustainable. Humans are creatures of habit – and a purchasing situation marked by uncertainty and a lack of knowledge results in people reverting to old behavior patterns; they buy what they’ve always bought. To change old behavior patterns, we must actively work to increase both the knowledge and familiarity with tomorrow’s products – both for professional and private consumers.

The canteen is an untapped arena for change!
1.1 million lunch meals are served in Norway’s canteens every single day.

Click here to learn more about the project (in Norwegian).