Flanders' FOOD Pilots Network

Testing together for the food of tomorrow

The Flanders' FOOD Pilots Network (FFPN) offers a complementary network of testing and pilot infrastructure to support your product or process innovation. We provide not only equipment and expertise, but also services and guidance to achieve the effective (industrial) scale-up of new products, processes, and businesses.

About us

The Flanders' FOOD Pilots Network (FFPN) brings together four leading testing and pilot infrastructures: Food Pilot, VEG-i-TEC, FR&D Hall, and Fermented Food Pilot Plant.

These open-access pilot plants support companies—from startups and SMEs to multinationals—with pilot tests, advice, and laboratory analyses, and strongly emphasize co-creation and confidentiality.

Each pilot plant within the Flanders FOOD Pilots Network is powered by a strong knowledge institution that supports the entire process. Scientific expertise, modern pilot installations, and practical guidance are combined. Each infrastructure has its own specialization and unique strengths, such as optimizing products and processes, developing new, sustainable, and balanced foods, commercial kitchen preparations, fermentation, implementing circular and energy-efficient solutions, valorizing side streams, or using alternative raw materials. Thanks to the collaboration within the network, you will be referred to the partner that best suits your needs.

Together, these four test and pilot infrastructures form a powerful network to scale up innovations in the food industry.

Services

The Flanders’ FOOD Pilots Network covers a wide range of possibilities with its integrated services. The most important services are:

Lab & Pilot Testing
Testing processes and products at pilot scale in advanced pilot facilities, allowing for confident scale-up investments.
Product Development & Process Optimization
Support in developing new food products, as well as valorization of side streams and optimization of production processes.
Analysis & Validation
Ensuring the safety and quality of food products through comprehensive physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory analyses.
Contract Research & Project Management
Access to infrastructure and expertise for companies and researchers. Support in setting up and implementing innovative projects; from grant applications to project management and realization.
Test-Before-Investment Programs
Introduction to new technology and equipment. Each facility has a wide range of equipment from various suppliers on which its own products can be tested. Temporary equipment can also be installed and tested upon request.

More info?

Bart Van Damme

business services coordinator

Pilot plants

Food Pilot

The Food Pilot is a collaboration between the Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO) and Flanders' FOOD. Food Pilot guides entrepreneurs from idea to product. This is the right place for questions about product development and process optimization in alternative proteins, dairy, dairy analogs, meat, meat analogs, plant-based products, chocolate, snacks, animal feed, and the valorization of waste streams. Additional services include analyses to determine shelf life and quality, information for labeling, sensory panels, sustainability assessments, digitization and AI.

Contact:
Katleen Coudijzer
Manager Food Pilot
katleen.coudijzer@ilvo.vlaanderen.be

Discover Food Pilot

FR&D Hall

The FR&D hall is a collaboration between VIVES, POM West Flanders, and Flanders' FOOD and is located in the Food Innovation Park. The facility is aimed at commercial kitchens, industrial bakeries, and ready-meal producers for recipe testing, product development and process optimization, and analysis of meal components and ready-meal preparations for taste, crispness, color, texture, and structure. The applied research focuses on the relationship between nutrition and health and the application of alternative raw materials.

In addition to traditional commercial kitchen equipment, the facility features innovative technologies such an inline industrial microwave tunnel, an infrared tunnel, and a vacuum cooling system.

Contact:
Yves De Bleecker
Plant Manager Food Innovation
yves.debleecker@vives.be

Discover FR&D Hall

VEG-i-TEC

VEG-i-TEC is a collaboration between Ghent University, Howest, VITO, and Flanders' FOOD. They focus their services on companies in the vegetable and potato processing industry. This pilot plant has extensive expertise in large-scale pilot tests across the entire value chain, from crop to packed product. VEG-i-TEC also supports projects involving water treatment and energy management, supported by sensors and advanced digitalization, as well as the valorization of side streams.

Contact:
Imca Sampers
Vakgroep Levensmiddelentechnologie, Voedselveiligheid en Gezondheid
vegitec@ugent.be

Discover VEG-i-TEC

Fermented Food Pilot Plant

The Fermented Food Pilot Plant is an initiative of the VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) in collaboration with Flanders’ FOOD. This pilot plant focuses on product development and process optimization of fermented products. The pilot plant has separate process lines for traditional and sourdough breads, a microbrewery for sour beers, and a complete chocolate line covering the entire value chain, from bean to bar. Additional services include highly specialized laboratory analyses.

Contact:
Dries Bongaerts
Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMBO)
dries.bongaerts@vub.be

Discover Fermented Food Pilot Plant (@ VUB Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMBO)

More info?

Bart Van Damme

business services coordinator