ALIBETOPIAS is the FIAB annual RDI conferences where FIAB presents the last innovations of the Industry, inviting more innovative companies and researchers, celebrated in Madrid, and it’s now a conference reference in food industry at national level. The conference was a big success with more than 450 attendees. During the conference, FIAB invited stakeholders to visit the projects corner where VALUMICS poster and brochures were presented.
ALIBETOPÍAS brought together professionals from the food and beverage sector to talk about innovation and trends. An innovation tunnel featured some of the most innovative products in the industry, which could be tasted by attendees. The General Secretary of Agriculture and Food of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Fernando Miranda, opened the day. Consumer, digitalization, sustainability and internationalization were the central themes of ALIBETOPIAS 2019. ALIBETOPIAS hosted the Awards Ceremony of the 1st Edition of the Ingenia Startup Food For Life-Spain and Ecotrophelia Spain 2019.
Here is the FIAB event press release in English:
The Spanish Food and Drink Industries Federation (FIAB) celebrates on 10th October the V Edition of ALIBETOPÍAS: New Territories in Food and Beverages, the day of the sector that brings together professionals in innovation for a sharing of initiatives in RDI that companies in the sector are launching and to review industry trends.
Aware of the role that innovation plays as a lever for the improvement of the competitiveness of the industry, FIAB arrives in ALIBETOPÍAS with the objective of encouraging investment in R&D as a tool for the future, improvement and identification of new opportunities, especially for SMEs.
According to data from the 2018 Economic Report prepared by FIAB, the incorporation of food companies to R&D activities was accentuated in that year. Thus, the food and beverage industry has raised the number of companies that have carried out R&D activities, with 721 entities, of which 84% are SMEs. In addition, in the last 5 years (2014-2018), almost 600 projects worth about 1,100 million euros have been promoted from the Food For Life-Spain Technology Platform, led by FIAB.
“The food and beverage sector has a great innovative capacity and it is vital to highlight the value of having a prepared and modern industry that is up to consumers to meet their needs and lead the economy of the country,” says Mauricio García de Quevedo, CEO of FIAB, who has also pointed out RDI as one of the main strengths to continue contributing to improve consumer welfare and to build a healthier and more sustainable environment.
The event is opened by the Secretary General of Agriculture and Food of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Fernando Miranda, together with the president of FIAB, Tomás Pascual Gómez-Cuétara. María Ángeles Ferre, Head of the Scientific-Technical Thematic Programs Branch, State Research Agency, closes the event.
ALIBETOPÍAS, which this year is celebrated at the Pablo VI Foundation, presents a very complete agenda where the consumer is the protagonist. Companies such as Angulas Aguinaga, Aldelis, La Unión Corp. and the IMASDEA Center talk about the processes and techniques to detect the demands and motivations of consumers when choosing and consuming a product, where innovation is an essential ally to give Response to each of your needs.
Another challenge present in ALIBETOPÍAS is digitalization and the advantages of driving the transformation towards a digital economy. Thus, the application of technologies such as blockchain and real examples of companies fully integrated in this area, such as EY, IRC Automation or Mahou San Miguel is announced.
Food and beverage industry is one of the most innovative sectors, a value that ALIBETOPÍAS highlights in the “innovation pills” section. These brief spaces invites companies to highlight the role that RDI plays in their companies, such as SECNA Group or Cleanity, a company specialized in industrial hygiene that presents a new range for the control and elimination of allergens, key in Food security For its part, ACESUR analyzes innovation in the traditional agri-food sector, while Tecnalia makes a vision of current trends.
Highlighting the role of collaboration on innovation, the Chemical Technology Platform, SUSCHEM, highlights how these platforms contribute to the promotion of knowledge and innovation in the sector, and the projects currently being developed.
In addition, the involvement of RDI is essential in internationalization, not only to reach new markets but also in the construction of knowledge economy shared with international partners. IRTA and Grupo Carinsa presents different proposals.
In addition to the recognition of the winning groups of Ecotrophelia Spain 2019, ALIBETOPÍAS hosts Awards ceremony of Ingenia Startup Food For Life, which this year have celebrated its first edition.
In line with previous editions, ALIBETOPÍAS offers a space dedicated to the exhibition of innovative products that will be accessible to attendees, as well as national and international innovation projects in which FIAB actively participates (Life Render, PEFMED and Reinwaste of the InterregMED program, Induce and VALUMICS of H2020, among others), where the focus on sustainability, competitiveness and transparency applied to the European food and beverage sector prevails.
ALIBETOPÍAS 2019 has the main support of Bayer, Aldelis, Alimentaria Foodtech, artica + i, Ecoembes, I + dea and Tecnalia. In addition, it has the participation of EY, Cleanity, Easter Quality, IRC Automation, SusChem, INLAC, AMC Group, ACESUR, Carinsa Group, Mahou San Miguel and the Wine Technology Platform. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Food of Spain, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the State Research Agency and the Food for Life-Spain Technology Platform collaborate.
