IMPRESS project in action: Co-creating the future of food with sustainable spreads   

On this Sustainable Gastronomy Day, the Horizon Europe-funded IMPRESS project celebrates a milestone in food innovation: the successful co-creation of sustainable spreads made from underutilised freshwater and marine ingredients. Led by the Institute of Food Technology in Novi Sad (FINS), this initiative showcases how consumer insights, science, collaboration, and creativity can come together to shape the future of food.

The co-creation journey began with an in-depth market and scientific analysis utilised by the FINS team, identifying gaps and opportunities in the current spread product landscape. This was followed by extensive consumer research, where more than 1,000 participants across Europe shared their preferences and openness to novel ingredients such as algae and freshwater fish.

Armed with this knowledge, FINS designed and facilitated a series of interactive co-creation workshops. These brought together consumers, scientists, industry experts, and policymakers in a shared space for innovation. The process included ice-breaking activities, ingredient exploration, and role-playing to gain an understanding of the food development pipeline from multiple perspectives.

Participants then entered the ideation phase, using creative techniques like LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® to develop new product concepts. Finally, they got hands-on with real ingredients, combining legumes, sustainable algae, and underutilised fish to craft spread prototypes that are tasty, healthy, and market-ready. A jury then selected the most promising creations, which are now being further refined and developed by FINS’ food technologists.

“These spreads are not just products. They are the future of food”, says Dragana Ubiparip, Research Associate at FINS. “By involving everyone in the process, we demonstrate that innovation truly thrives through collaboration, where every voice matters”.

Watch the full co-creation journey with Dr. Dragana Ubiparip here: https://youtu.be/u3g4YIIu1hw?si=pCEHTZ5sk-FaLPRd

About IMPRESS

IMPRESS is a Horizon Europe-funded project dedicated to developing sustainable foods and value chains by applying innovative methods to marine and freshwater-based ingredients.

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At a glance - Key facts and figures

• Instrument: Horizon Europe
• Total Budget: € 6,725,261.25
• Duration: 4 years, 2023-2027
• Consortium: A total of 14 partners from 7 countries

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