European and Latin American partners join forces to accelerate sustainable food innovation (NIZO Food Research – FoodTech Hub Latam- Food Innovation Park Netherlands)
São Paulo, Brazil / Ede, The Netherlands – 27 May 2026
During The International FoodTech Forum in São Paulo, Brazil, NIZO Food Research and Food Innovation Park Netherlands from Europe, together with FoodTech Hub Latam from Latin America, announced a strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating sustainable food innovation between both regions. The partnership brings together complementary expertise in food science, industrial innovation, fermentation, biodiversity, startup ecosystems, and scale-up infrastructure to create a long-term collaboration platform connecting Europe and Latin America.
The global food system is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by climate change, food security challenges, changing consumer expectations, biodiversity concerns, and the urgent need for more sustainable and resilient food production systems. Addressing these complex challenges requires international collaboration that goes beyond regional efforts.
At the same time, advances in food processing, fermentation, alternative proteins, biotechnology, and ingredient innovation are creating new opportunities to reshape the future of food.
Latin America – and Brazil in particular – is well positioned to play a major role in this transition. With its rich biodiversity, strong agricultural foundation, rapidly growing foodtech ecosystem, and increasing focus on sustainable innovation, the region offers significant potential for future food solutions.
Meanwhile, Europe has developed strong capabilities across food science and technology, including fermentation, functional ingredients, product development, and scale-up infrastructure.
Against this backdrop, the three partners aim to build a strategic bridge between European scientific expertise and Latin American innovation ecosystems, industrial partners, startups, and biodiversity resources. The ambition is to accelerate the development, validation, and commercialization of sustainable food solutions with global relevance.
Despite the geographical distance, the three organizations share a common vision: accelerating sustainable food innovation, supporting startup growth and scale-up, enabling pre-competitive collaboration, and strengthening international innovation ecosystems.
In the coming years, the partners will explore joint projects, innovation programs, consortium opportunities, and long-term collaboration mechanisms across Europe and Latin America.
Each organization contributes complementary strengths to the collaboration. NIZO Food Research and Food Innovation Park Netherlands bring expertise in food science, fermentation, product development, industrial R&D, and pilot-scale infrastructure – including precision fermentation up to 10,000L and food-grade downstream processing capabilities. FoodTech Hub Latam contributes its strong innovation ecosystem, startup network, corporate connections, and regional foodtech platform.
Paulo Silveira, CEO & Founder of FoodTech Hub Latam, sees the partnership as an important step toward deeper collaboration between both regions:
“The partnership announced today will be the platform to develop the food of the future involving Latam and the Netherlands. The EU-Mercosur agreement, signed last year after 30 years of negotiation, will open avenues of opportunity not only in trade but also in research and joint projects, exploring Brazilian biodiversity with the technology and capabilities that NIZO brings to the partnership. We are glad to collaborate on the future together.”
Nikolaas Vles, CEO of NIZO Food Research, highlights the importance of international collaboration in addressing global food challenges:
“Sustainable food innovation requires bold collaboration across borders, connecting ambitious startups, scientists and industry leaders. By combining our ecosystems and expertise, we can help breakthrough ideas scale faster and create meaningful impact.”
With the collaboration now formalized, the partners will begin exploring concrete joint initiatives that bring together science, industry, and innovation ecosystems across both regions.
NIZO is a globally leading, private, and independent contract research organization specializing in food and health innovation for over 75 years. Operating the largest open access food-grade pilot plant in Europe, we leverage the integrated power of science and technology to help our customers in transforming food and nutrition more successfully, sustainably and faster; ultimately leading to better food and health. More information: www.nizo.com.
Located in the heart of the Netherlands’s Food Valley, Food Innovation Park Netherlands at the site of NIZO Food Research offers a unique blend of expertise, technology, scaling-up facilities and networking to accelerate innovation in food. Beyond facilities and know-how, companies are at the center of a vibrant network of exper, partners, and stakeholders across the Netherlands and Europe. More information: www.foodinnovationcampus.com
At the forefront of innovation, knowledge, and entrepreneurship, the Foodtech Hub Latam provides access to top resources through a range of industries, research centers, universities, potential investors, and a national and international innovation community, allowing for broad global exposure. The Foodtech Hub Latam has established itself as the most important innovation ecosystem in Latin America, connecting all actors in the food chain, from field to table, aiming to meet the evolving demands of consumers. More information: https://foodtechhub.com.br/
