by Malwine Steinbock. Strategy Director Food Republik
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Feb 18 2025
Food and Beverage Innovations and Opportunities from Spain
Spain is a world renowned mekka for food. Call it foodies paradise. It is the cradle of the Mediterranean diet, probably the oldest healthy diet in the world. Far from any modern fad diet.
But Spain is not only leading the way in food culture and production but is also one of the most important and innovative Foodtech hubs in Europe.
Why is that?
Spain is Europe’s garden, the largest producer of fruits and vegetables producing about 30-35% of the EU's imports. Spain is the world’s largest producer of wine, olive oil and an important producer for gourmet cheese and meat products. Spain’s plant-based sector is the fourth-largest in Europe, behind Germany, the UK, and Italy, and anticipates a 10% growth in 2025.
Over the past 10 years, Spain has positioned itself as one of the main Foodtech Hubs in Europe, thanks to ICEX Foodtech Nation and private initiatives such as KM Zero, Eatable Ventures, and Tech Food Magazine.
Also, cutting edge technological centers such as CNTA, Azti, AINIA, Basque Culinary Center, a number of public and private institutions for food and food technology development. Several food and food tech events with international reach, such as Food 4 Future in Bilbao, KM Zero.
What are the most important challenges for the food system that Foodtech is approaching with innovative solutions made in Spain?
In a context of growing challenges for food security due to climate change and geopolitical conflict, in order to meet the growing global demand for food in general and protein in particular, Spain is leading the way with innovations and technologies to create healthy, sustainable and delicious foods in the future.
Sustainable proteins
Startups as well as established companies from the meat and snack industry have been investing heavily in the transition towards sustainable protein sources.
We highlight Sanygran, the operator with the largest industrial capacity in southern Europe creating B2B solutions for plant based meat and fish, Novameats, creating the first 3D printed whole cut in Spain, and of course Heura, leading plant based investments to diversify their portfolio beyond meat alternatives to cheeses and other categories in 2024.
Spain is Europe’s second largest consumer of dairy alternatives, with a household penetration of plant based milk alternatives of 40%. Among the country’s leading producers are Liquats Vegetals, focussing on developing international markets.
Spaniards grow up with a gourmet palate thanks to the country’s local delicacies, so also plant based alternatives, to meet the market demands, need to be delicious to sustain their growth.
Mycelium and solid state fermentation are the plant based technology that captured most of 2024’s Foodtech investment. Local companies like Innomy have created solutions to extract proteins from sub products through mycelium and convert them into highly nutritious ingredients for the food industry.
In the context of circularity and re-evaluating industrial side streams, Upcycling is a major trend that is helping to reduce both food waste as well as creating additional value streams from subproducts of the food industry. In Spain there are a number of initiatives for revalorizing brewers’ spent grain from the largest local breweries as protein and nutrient source - Spain being the third largest consumer of beer in Europe and 8th largest producer worldwide. Related to the growth of the plant based milk industry, the by-product Okara is converted into high protein textures by Impact Upcycled Foods, in oat flakes and oat proteins.
In Packaging, a huge challenge for the environment, management and future generations, we highlight Earth2Pack, creating packaging solutions with robust materials made from plant matter and minerals to replace polluting plastic in the packaging industry and other sectors. And Oscillum who develops biotechnological solutions for packaging that prolong the shelflife of fresh produce.
In Agtech, Spain is leading the way with efficient irrigation, soil health management systems controlling the microbial infrastructure of the soil that determines for instance the quality and flavor of wine. A Spanish startups, now scale up - Biome Makers has returned from Silicon Valley to implement their proven solutions in their home country and beyond.
When it comes to meeting the demands for healthier, cleaner foods, Spain is the nation where sustainability and flavor converges in the Mediterranean Diet, world renown and recognized for its longevity benefits.
But also the processed foods industry is creating better, cleaner foods and beverages.
Gluten free products
We highlight the growing demand for gluten free products and the challenge to replace gluten in formulations, for taste, function as well as cost. One company has overcome the challenge - The Spanish startup Bread free has developed the first gluten free wheat flour and is currently working with major international companies such as Mondelez to create a new generation of gluten free baked goods with the same taste people love.
Gut health
Digestion, nutrient absorption and even mental health are linked to a healthy gut microbiome that is increasingly challenged by processed foods and lack of fresh foods, fermented foods and fiber.
Therefore, the increasing popularity of probiotic, prebiotic foods and symbiotics foods (combination of both). Living organisms face the challenge of survival through necessary heat treatments for shelf life extensions. Solutions like Nucaps have developed encapsulations to make those probiotics heat-resistant and maintain them alive to reach the microbiota and populate it with beneficial strains.
And last but not least, deliciousness. Let’s talk about pleasure and flavor.
Sugar & salt reduction
Overweight, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and certain types of cancer are linked to excess sugar consumption that result in insulin resistance. Artificial sweeteners are becoming more and more doomed by consumers who are looking for natural sweetness and natural alternatives that give sweet pleasure but without metabolic effects.
Levprot sweet proteins 1500x sweeter than sugar made with precision fermentation, are a new solution satisfying the sweet tooth while not moving the needle for glucose and insulin. Again Nucaps offers a solution to encapsulate sugars and salt increasing the perception of both while maintaining low quantities.
Spain is at the forefront not only of food innovation but also in the realm of pharmaceuticals, drug development and more. And this, too, has and will have a direct impact on how we consume foods.
It is projected that GLP-1 inducer Ozempic will reduce food consumption by up to 25% in the next 5 years..
Spain, as a leading food producer in Europe is also leading the way with food technology developments to develop a healthy, sustainable and delicious food system into the future.
