New research points the way: How Sweden can build a sustainable food system

– We are in the midst of an era where the challenges facing the food system cannot be solved by individual measures, says Karin Östergren, senior researcher and centre director at FINEST. In our work, we have demonstrated how traditional scientific research can be linked to innovative system change. Sustainable transition requires us to work on several levels simultaneously; from raw material production and technology, to regulations and policy, the market and consumer behaviour. What we have seen within FINEST is that innovation already exists, but needs to be linked in new ways. It is when different actors come together, share knowledge and develop common goals that real systemic change becomes possible.

Between 2020 and 2025, FINEST – Food Innovation Enabling Sustainable Transition – has brought together over a hundred researchers and industry partners to identify the steps required to accelerate the transition of the Swedish food system. In the final report now being launched, RISE presents the key conclusions and recommendations, with particular relevance for companies seeking to strengthen their innovative capacity, develop new products or scale up sustainable business models.

The conclusions summarise a number of general recommendations with direct implications for the industry. Among other things, the researchers highlight the need for:

– earlier collaboration in the value chain, where companies, raw material producers and the grocery retail sector develop joint specifications and share risk in the early stages of development,

– test beds and pilot environments where companies and public authorities can trial new policy and market solutions on a smaller scale,

– strengthened innovation capacity, for example through cross-functional development teams that contribute different perspectives, joint consumer studies and better access to processing infrastructure,

– tools for managing complexity, such as scenario methods, multi-level analyses and structures for long-term partnerships.

– viewing innovation as a social and relationship-driven endeavour where different objectives and rationales need to be translated, negotiated and managed in everyday life – not just within formal structures.

The report also highlights concrete examples of research findings and points to future opportunities for three value chains: protein from Swedish legumes, Swedish forest berries and experimental protein sources such as mycoprotein and insects – and shows how the industry can accelerate the transition by coordinating risks, strengthening infrastructure and developing sustainable business models.

– One of our clearest conclusions is that the transition happens faster when stakeholders come together to tackle real-world problems, such as product development, logistics, raw material flows or consumer response, rather than working in isolation, says Karin Östergren. Within FINEST, we saw how concrete collaborations, for example on legume proteins or new uses for forest berries, created entirely new solutions that no single stakeholder could have developed on their own.

Together, these insights represent a way forward for a food sector that is competitive, resilient and aligned with Sweden’s food strategy and climate and sustainability goals.

Contact: Karin Östergren, RISE, karin.ostergren@ri.se

Read the full report: FINEST final report