Our diet is changing – and so is its production from the field to the table. BFH-HAFL is setting new standards with the expansion of the Technology Hall: it enables practical teaching in food processing. It offers researchers and companies state-of-the-art infrastructure and a platform for developing innovative production processes and products and testing them under real-life conditions. The expanded technology hall – the “Pilot Plant” – was opened yesterday as part of the Future Food Symposium by Prof. Dr. Ute Seeling, Director of BFH-HAFL, Ursula Kretzschmar, Head of the Food Science & Management Department at BFH-HAFL, Dr. Sebastian Friess, Head of the Canton of Bern Location Promotion Agency, and Dr. Karola Krell, representative of the Federation of Swiss Food Industries Fial. They all emphasized how central the modern technology hall is. Dr. Sebastian Friess said at the opening of the Future Food Symposium: “The Canton of Bern has identified gaps in the system with the help of studies. These include a lack of production infrastructure that researchers and start-ups can use”. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation between stakeholders as well as value chain and network thinking.

Before the ceremonial cutting of the red ribbon in connection with the opening of the new technology hall, Dr. Karola Krell expressed her delight at the future specialists who will be able to use the process hall to develop new food products. “There is a huge shortage of skilled workers in the food sector. That’s why I’m delighted about each and every one of them”. Claudio Reinhard, co-founder of the start-up Gaia Tech, was also very pleased with the new infrastructure – BFH-HAFL’s offer is unique for start-ups. BFH-HAFL Director Prof. Dr. Ute Seeling talked about the lengthy success story leading up to the finished hall, which offers space to go “from idea to product”. “I hope for intensive use. Be innovative!”

Innovation through cooperation

With the new test kitchen and the extensive infrastructure with pilot plants, BFH-HAFL is becoming a catalyst: “We are linking research and collaboration with start-ups, SMEs and industry even more closely in order to jointly create solutions for a sustainable food system,” says Ursula Kretzschmar, Head of Food Science & Management.

From the idea to market maturity

With the investment of over two million Swiss francs – supported by the Canton of Bern’s location promotion program – BFH-HAFL is strengthening its role as a leading institution in practice-oriented agricultural and food research. “Our infrastructure, which includes the technology hall and the laboratory wing for analytics, offers extensive development opportunities – from the initial idea to scalable production processes and product concepts,” explains Christoph Denkel, Head of the “Food Process Technology and Sustainable Innovation” research group. The infrastructure enables the use of various protein sources and the utilization of by-products from food production.

“Our infrastructure, coupled with the expertise of our research teams, offers very attractive conditions for driving innovation forward. Everyone benefits from collaboration – companies, researchers and students alike,” says Denkel. David Flury, responsible for the operation of the Technology Hall, agrees: “An efficient research infrastructure has been created over the last 10 years.”