Amaia Barredo: "The food of the future will be smarter, fairer and more sustainable and the Basque Country wants to be an active part of this transformation"

• "The Basque innovation model supports business transformation and the creation of start-ups by strengthening the food value chain"
• Presence of the Department of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government at the Food for Future (F4F) event at the BEC in Barakaldo
• A large stand welcomes Elika, Neiker and Hazi together with the world's leaders in food technology and innovation
• 250 exhibiting firms, 8,000 professionals

Bilbao 13.05.2025

Amaia Barredo, Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries, when asked this morning at the BEC in Barakaldo, said that "the food of the future will be smarter, fairer and more sustainable, and the Basque Country wants to be an active part of this transformation. The Basque innovation model supports business transformation, start-up creation and the strengthening of the food value chain".

Barredo was a speaker at the opening of the Food for Future (F4F)- Expo FoodTech 2025, which is being held from today until 15 May at the Basque Exhibition Centre (BEC) in Barakaldo and brings together the world's elite in food technology and innovation.

This international meeting of the food technology industry, or foodtech, takes place simultaneously with Pick&Pack for Food Industry and brings together more than 8,000 professionals, who will be able to learn about innovations for automating and digitalising production plants, as well as the latest developments in packaging, packing and logistics, presented by more than 250 exhibitor companies.

"The Basque Country is a reference in Europe for its excellence in quality food, benchmark gastronomy, zero-kilometre products, sustainable fishing, rural development and generational renewal, and for its capacity to generate knowledge, attract investment, promote start-ups, develop new technologies and lead global solutions," stressed Amaia Barredo.

In her speech, Barredo highlighted the essential role of innovation in responding to the major challenges of the global food system and reaffirmed the Basque Country's commitment to a sustainable, fair and competitive model.

During her speech, the Minister contextualised the main challenges facing the food system in Europe: the growing uncertainty in international markets, the threat of new tariffs, energy pressure and the need to adapt the production model to the framework of the European Green Pact.

 "The European food sector is at a crossroads. It must adjust to a changing and more demanding environment, it must do so quickly, while at the same time consolidating its strategic role as a guarantor of health, territorial cohesion and sustainability," he said.

Amaia Barredo highlighted that "the foodtech field is consolidating as a key lever for transformation, capable of providing specific solutions in fields such as resource efficiency, automation, digitalisation and product diversification.”

"Technology is not only about technical tools. It is redefining the food model of the future: smarter, more connected and people-focused", highlighted Barredo, who emphasised the "the commitment of the Basque Country to its own model, based on knowledge, public-private partnership and commitment to sustainable development. He recalled that this vision is articulated through the Strategic Plan for Gastronomy and Food 2030, the promotion of the Food Global Ecosystem, and the network of reference centres formed by AZTI, NEIKER, Leartiker and the Basque Culinary Centre".

In this regard, Barredo announced the opening next October of the GOE - Gastronomy Open Ecosystem , which will be located in San Sebastián / Donostia, and the launch of the EDA - Drink & Campus initiative, focused on training, entrepreneurship and innovation in the field of wine and beverages in Vitoria-Gasteiz and Laguardia.

"The Basque Country wants to be a land of opportunity for companies, start-ups and investors who want to contribute to this food transition", said Barredo, who closed his speech by reminding that "Food 4 Future is not just a fair, but an international platform for sharing knowledge, activating investments and collaborating on solutions for a new food model".

"We want this edition to serve to weave new networks, accelerate projects and look together towards the food system that the world needs," he concluded.

Food for Future is evidence of the commitment of the Basque Country to food as a strategic sector through the Strategic Plan for Gastronomy and Food, the promotion of The Food Global Ecosystem, and the strengthening of the Basque entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem. At present, more than 137,000 jobs in the Basque Country are linked to the food sector, which represents almost 10% of our Gross Domestic Product", Amaia Barredo pointed out.

Rogelio Pozo, director of the Food 4 Future World Summit and CEO of AZTI, and Ainara Basurko, Provincial Councillor for Economic Promotion at the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, will be attending the congress together with Amaia Barredo. Javier Garcinuño, General Manager of Bilbao Ekintza.

The Basque Government participates with a large stand, which hosts the activity and contacts of the Department of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries as well as the participating entities: Elika (Foundation for Food Safety), Neiker (Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development), and Hazi (Foundation for Integral Rural Development).

Stand

The "Euskadi Basque Country" institutional stand details the Basque model of open and shared innovation, through instruments to support business transformation, start-up creation and the strengthening of the entire food value chain. It has an exhibition area - showcasing advances in vertical farming, sustainable packaging and the revaluation of food surpluses - and a networking area to connect people and projects.

Visitors to the fair can learn about the Basque Government's commitment to specialising in the generation of value from increasingly efficient processes, such as safer, more sustainable and healthier production ecosystems, the development of a new range of services and products for a population that is increasingly aware of the food-health pipeline and the incorporation of new digital and biotechnological technologies.

Among other topics, the exhibition areas offer information on grants available to the sector as well as on various innovative projects being developed: the Digital White Paper (Hazi), Indoor Vertical Farming and Agripower (Neiker), Food Waste and Ontzi (Elika).

As a recreational and educational element, a promotional food truck offers foods and drinks using the finest Basque ingredients: hamburgers made with Eusko Label meat, LumaGorri chicken, Zero-Km Baserria KM0 beef, and Basetxerri pork, accompanied by Basque Beer, wines from Rioja Alavesa, txakoli (local white wine), musts and water.

Institutional Activity

With Germany as the guest country, the fair has an important institutional component. Regional Minister Amaia Barredo and other representatives of the Department took part in many of these events, such as the reception for the Japanese delegation that took place today, 13 May, with Raul Perez Iratxeta, Deputy Regional Minister for Food and Rural Development.

Councillor Barredo has presented an award to the Honorary Consul of Germany in Bilbao and tomorrow she will share a working breakfast with representatives of the food industry sector.

The Foodtech Innovation Awards 2025 will take place this evening at 6:30 pm. Amaia Barredo will present these annual awards, which recognise the most innovative and disruptive proposals that are transforming the food sector towards a more technological, productive and sustainable future.

"There are also B2B meetings (companies that focus on selling products or services to other companies and not to the end consumer). Thus, this year, the Basque Country becomes again the place to be for the foodtech sector and for three days it shows professionals from all over the world the latest innovations and technological solutions that are transforming the food industry in all its segments. This year, it will host companies presenting the latest solutions in food safety and science, robotics and automation and processing and packaging machinery for the food industry," explains Amaia Barredo.

MAIN TECHNICAL ACTIVITIRES AND EXHIBITIONS

SPEECHES AT THE CONGRESS

• NEIKER

14 May, 4:30-5:30 PM

Amaia Ortiz, head of Neiker's Plant Production and Protection Department, will take part in the session in order to go deeper into the development and application of new generation ingredients in the food industry. By examining cutting-edge research and technological advances, it will show how these innovative ingredients are improving the quality, nutrition and sustainability of food.

 15 May, 4:30-5:30 PM

Aitor Cevidades, researcher at Neiker's Animal Health Department. This session will analyse the main challenges to food security due to climate change. To approach this session, we will start with a recent study revealing the main risks and the most relevant risks to the food system, and then proceed to discuss and try to find solutions to some of them, which have a direct impact on agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

• ELIKA

13 May, 4:30-5:30 PM

Arantza Madariaga, Director of Elika Fundazioa. Reduction of food waste and technological business opportunities. This session will address key issues such as reducing food waste and water use in the food industry.

14 May 12:00-1:00 PM

Arantza Madariaga, Director of Elika Fundazioa. Sustainable food packages. This presentation will address the main challenges facing the food sector in terms of packaging and will provide information from companies and institutions on the public-private initiatives that are being carried out in the Basque Country to respond to these challenges through collaboration and innovation.
15 May 1:30-2:00 PM

Amaia de Ariño Technical Director of Elika Fundazioa. Biotechnological tools for pathogen control in the meat industry shall lead ad debate on prevention and control of relevant pathogen bacteria.

15 May, 4:30-5:30 PM

Amaia de Ariño, Technical Director of Elika. Food safety risks emerging from climate change will take part in an analysis of the main challenges for food security arising from climate change.  The basis for doing so will be a recent study revealing the key and most relevant threats to the food system, and then discuss and seek solutions to some of them, with a direct impact on agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

CONTENTS OF THE EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY STAND

• NEIKER

Small indoor vertical farming installation with information on two vertical farming projects to optimise sustainable food production. The Neiker technology centre is making progress in its commitment to more sustainable and efficient agriculture by developing innovative vertical crops, known as "indoor vertical farming". Neiker is using this system to grow herbs such as basil, chives and coriander in response to the demand for fresh, quality produce. This technology allows the production of plants in closed and controlled enclosures, optimising the use of space by growing on multiple levels, as if in shelves

AgriPower Project (agrovoltaics). Neiker is leading the European AgriPower project, which aims to test smart agrovoltaic systems that maintain agricultural productivity while optimising energy efficiency. To this end, several arable crops, such as lettuce and potatoes, are being tested under the agrovoltaic structures in order to assess their adaptation and sustainability in combination with solar energy generation. In order to develop the AGriPower project, the Basque Government and Neiker have opened the largest experimental agrovoltaic unit in Spain for arable crops in Arkaute in order to research its viability. Comprising 212 photovoltaic modules distributed over 8,000 m², it is estimated that they will generate 163,914 kWh annually, equivalent to the average electricity consumption of approximately 50 homes.

• ELIKA

Panel on Food Waste.  It shows the results of the policy developed by the Basque Government through the Elika Foundation to fight against food wastage in the Basque Country, one of the main objectives of which is to increase the wellbeing and quality of life of the population through healthy, safe, unique and sustainable food. This is a major problem, as it is estimated that the amount of food waste generated in the Basque Country exceeds 350,000 tonnes per year.

Ontzi Project. (Basque Food Packaging Innovation Hub). It shows the trajectory and the main achievements of the Basque food packaging innovation community, an initiative of Elika and the Basque Food Cluster. Since its launch in 2023, Ontzi has brought together more than 500 stakeholders from 294 organisations in 11 different countries. 15 events have been held with more than 750 participants, more than 80 technical-legal consultations have been handled through the consultant service, and more than 100 solutions from 46 companies have been published. As a result of this work, 27 innovation projects have been designed in response to the challenges prioritised by food companies, mobilising more than 2 million euros in funding.

• HAZI

Information on the Digital White Paper, which gathers the technological assets to respond to the demand of the agro-food value chain

Report on Digital Trends in the Food and Wood Value Chain in the Basque Country. It offers an integral view of the information you are experiencing through technology. It analyses how their adoption is redefining the different stages, from production and resource management to distribution and consumption.