Ukraine is establishing its first foodtech cluster, modeled on the Netherlands' Food Valley. The project is implemented by Alterra Group in partnership with agrifood entrepreneur Borys Shestopalov, within the Formatsiya industrial park network.
The cluster aims to help businesses move from exporting raw materials to producing competitive finished products. It will unite producers, technology companies, startups, and research centers in a single location, providing access to laboratories, R&D centers, sensory and packaging stations, pilot production lines, logistics services, and expert support.
A key feature is the FoodTech R&I Hub, a national R&D center where companies can test recipes, develop packaging, create prototypes, simulate processes in digital labs, and run pilot productions. The cluster will start with pilot projects showcasing AI-based recipe development, applied R&D, and startup acceleration.
Potential residents include agricultural producers, food processors, ingredient and product manufacturers, technology integrators, universities, startups, and investment funds.
According to Shestopalov, such agrifood clusters can drive Ukraine's post-war economic recovery by creating jobs, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, increasing local tax revenues, and fostering modern infrastructure.
Source: www.seeds.org.ua
