AMNorman is a project partner in New Food Business, a project of the Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland (Flanders-Netherlands) programme that supports innovative food businesses with product innovation and their route to market. The project is funded by the European Union.
The project supports innovative food businesses in diversifying their product portfolio or entering new customer segments. It is building a Flemish-Dutch network of specialised service providers, developing a modular service package and rolling out a targeted support approach.
AMNorman’s role
As a consultancy in food safety, quality and regulatory affairs, AMNorman contributes regulatory and quality expertise to the modular service package. Anyone developing a new food product and bringing it to market tends to face the same questions: which legal requirements must the product and production process meet, how do you build a robust food safety system, and what needs to go on the label?
Within New Food Business, AMNorman supports the participating start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs with, among other things:
- mapping the legal requirements for their product and production;
- setting up self-checking, HACCP and a quality system that is ready for customer audits and certification (risk analysis);
- labelling, claims and product specifications;
- turning a product idea into a compliant, market-ready product (product development).
AMNorman also shares its knowledge within the Flemish-Dutch ecosystem, so that new food businesses find the right expertise faster. Read more about how we support young food businesses on our start-ups page.
Why this project?
Challenges such as climate change, a growing global population, lifestyle-related diseases and the need to reduce our environmental footprint call for new food solutions. The food industry needs innovative and sometimes disruptive products that address these societal and environmental challenges.
To realise such innovations, new food businesses are needed: food companies such as start-ups, scale-ups and innovative SMEs that act as pioneers in developing novel products. They can rely on a strong and growing range of general support services today, but there are specific needs for food-related knowledge, expertise and support. Emerging food businesses lack an integrated network that helps them launch product innovations effectively, efficiently and within a realistic market context. For SMEs, too, innovative product development remains complex, time-consuming and risky, particularly when the necessary expertise is not available in-house.
New Food Business addresses this by bringing together service providers, knowledge partners and other relevant stakeholders in a single Flemish-Dutch network. Within this network, a modular service package is being developed and tested to give innovative food businesses more targeted support on their route to market. This is done in co-creation with the new food businesses, while also assessing financial feasibility and working methods.
Approach and expected results
A public-private partnership of ten Flemish and Dutch clusters, companies and provincial development agencies is joining forces in this Interreg project. Together, they are working towards future-proof support for new food businesses, focusing on innovation, knowledge sharing, access to expertise and cross-border collaboration.
- The project encourages companies to take the next step in developing and applying innovative food solutions that contribute to a future-proof economy. The focus is on protein diversification (including novel production processes such as food biotechnology) and balanced nutrition.
- Within the consortium, the partners combine their expertise in a modular service package. This gives food businesses faster access to specialised knowledge, expertise and support for (product) innovation. Each region contributes its own strengths, making it easier for companies to reach markets across the border.
- The project is building a Flemish-Dutch ecosystem of project partners, complementary service providers, knowledge and research institutions and other stakeholders. This ecosystem is connected with new food businesses seeking collaboration on their innovation and market introduction journey.
- The project starts with several test cases, followed by a first innovation call. New food businesses will then be able to register for support and guidance. The approach will be embedded for the long term after the project ends, so that the network and services remain available.
Interim results and updates are published on the New Food Business website.
Target group
New Food Business is aimed at new food businesses: innovative SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups in the food industry seeking support with, among other things, legal requirements for food production, access to networks, product and recipe development, and consumer and market validation.
The project also brings together (commercial) service providers, incubators and accelerators, testing and pilot facilities, R&D laboratories, universities of applied sciences, network partners, sector federations and public authorities in the ecosystem supporting these innovative food businesses.
Project partners
Flanders’ FOOD is responsible for overall project management and coordinates the project together with AgriFood Capital and POM West-Vlaanderen. The consortium consists of:
- AgriFood Capital
- AMNorman
- Bamboo Brands
- Dutch Design Foundation
- Flanders' FOOD
- Jamfabriek
- Monard Law
- POM Vlaams-Brabant
- POM West-Vlaanderen
- Tekkoo
Keen to join?
Two calls for SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups in the food industry will be launched during the project. These new food businesses will be able to apply to help develop and test the service package and receive support and guidance. Details will be shared through the project partners and on the New Food Business website.
As a stakeholder in the ecosystem, you will be invited to matchmaking and knowledge-sharing events that facilitate collaboration with the new food businesses. Want to know more? Contact us or one of the other project partners.
Support from the European Union
New Food Business is funded by the European Union through the Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland programme, with support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The project is also supported by VLAIO, the Province of West Flanders, Flemish Brabant and the Province of East Flanders.
Project type: Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland
Duration: July 2026 to June 2029
More information: New Food Business website and Flanders’ FOOD project page.