After a year of innovation, collaboration and product development, the Redesign Food for Value programme concluded with its final event: the Go-to-Market Day at the Mauritskazerne in Ede on June 18.
The event brought together food innovators, retailers, foodservice organisations, researchers and ecosystem partners to celebrate progress made throughout the programme and, more importantly, to accelerate the next step: successful market introduction. The day welcomed almost 90 participants and provided a unique platform for innovative SMEs to test their propositions, gather expert feedback and expand their professional network.
Turning innovation into commercial opportunities
Throughout the programme, participating companies worked on redesigning food products for greater sustainability, health impact and consumer relevance. The Go-to-Market Day served as a launchpad where these innovations were presented directly to the people who influence purchasing decisions in retail and foodservice.
A key component of the event was the pitch session. In dedicated retail and foodservice tracks, SMEs presented their products to buyers and industry experts from organisations including Jumbo, Lidl, Albert Heijn, Hilton Foods, Compass Group and Vermaat. The sessions provided valuable feedback on market fit, proposition clarity, scalability and commercial potential.
Congratulations to De Nieuwe Melkboer and Chalé Spirulin, winners of the retail and foodservice pitch sessions. Both companies earned exclusive one-on-one sessions with the participating buyers to further strengthen their route-to-market strategy. In addition, Chalé Spirulin was awarded the Living Labs In-Store Product Validation Voucher, granting access to a real-world consumer validation trajectory developed by Consumer Behaviour Lab (Bamboo Brands and HAS green academy). The voucher will enable the company to test its product with real consumers, on a real shelf, in a real store, generating valuable insights for further commercialisation and market adoption.
Learning from peers and industry leaders
Beyond the pitches, participants joined peer-group learning sessions focused on B2C and B2B go-to-market strategies. Discussions addressed challenges such as communicating sustainability benefits, entering foodservice channels, differentiating in competitive markets and building effective partnerships with off-takers.
A recurring conclusion across both groups was that successful commercialisation requires more than a strong product alone. Participants highlighted the importance of combining innovation with a clear value proposition, credible data, strategic partnerships and a deep understanding of buyer and consumer needs
What does it take to get listed — and stay listed?
The afternoon programme welcomed external guests and featured a dynamic panel discussion with experts representing retail, foodservice, production and consumer validation. Together they explored the realities of bringing innovative food products to market and keeping them there.
While perspectives differed across sectors, several important themes emerged:
- Taste is essential but rarely sufficient on its own.
- Retail and foodservice require fundamentally different routes to market.
- Strong supplier–buyer relationships are key to long-term success.
- Products that begin with consumer and buyer needs outperform those developed from an internal perspective alone.
Taste the Future of Food
The Food Market brought the day’s innovations from presentation to plate. Participants invited visitors to discover, taste and discuss the products they have redesigned over the past year, ranging from alternative proteins and plant-based products to upcycled and sustainable food concepts. The lively market atmosphere created opportunities for meaningful conversations between innovators, buyers, industry experts and potential partners, demonstrating how collaboration can help accelerate the transition from promising innovation to commercial success.
Looking ahead
he Go-to-Market Day demonstrated the value of bringing innovators, researchers, retailers and foodservice partners together around a shared ambition: making sustainable and healthy food the new standard in European markets.
As participants move into the next phase of commercialisation, the lessons from the programme remain clear: successful innovation requires a combination of product excellence, market understanding, validated insights and strong partnerships.
Curious about the atmosphere of the day? Watch the aftermovie:
(Photography & video: Marnix Klooster)