In order to promote innovation in companies and support them in their financial growth, Flanders’ FOOD has also constructed a wide network of partners in Belgium and abroad. By building bridges between the food industry and complementary sectors (cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaborations) and creating various links in the agri-food system, we create new business opportunities and explore new horizons.
This requires creating trust between farmers, the food industry and retail on the one hand, and bringing together actors from different sectors, including the creation of a familiar environment that allows for knowledge exchange, on the other hand. With some of these partners, we went one step further and established a strategic collaboration, in which both parties sign a collaboration contract that stipulates the collaboration's objectives and approach.
We always aim for a win-win in these collaborations. We aim for sustainable collaborations with all parties, based on:
Reliable and honest partnership
Objectivity
Creativity and openness
NuHCaS is an open research and innovation platform that brings Nutrition, Health and Care together in a Systemic approach. NuHCaS compiles multidisciplinary, evidence-based research about the impact of a balanced diet on health. This is done in a practice-oriented (with food companies, healthcare providers, patient organisations and consumers) network set-up (with other research centres in Flanders and foreign partners). The objective of this platform also includes further exploration of innovations in food and healthcare that increase the long-term financial and social impact.