Sustainable food ideas under the spotlight: Anuga strengthens its innovative image through collaboration with Ecotrophelia Europe

15 July 2025

Young food talents with visionary product ideas at Anuga +++ Cooperation specifically promotes young talents and skilled workers +++ Competition unites science, industry and entrepreneurship +++ Award ceremony on the Trend Zone on Boulevard North

Anuga, the biggest global trade fair for food and beverages, is underlining its claim to be the industry's innovation platform once again this year: With its renewed collaboration with Ecotrophelia Europe, the most important European competition for sustainable food innovation, Anuga is creating a stage for visionary product ideas, young talents and forward-looking entrepreneurship. In the scope of Anuga 2025, which is being staged in Cologne from 4 to 8 October, the European final of Ecotrophelia will take place in the Congress Centre North on 7 and 8 October. The festive award ceremony will be held on the Trend Zone on Boulevard North.

"For us, the partnership with Ecotrophelia Europe is a strategic pacesetter for the entire food industry. Together we are creating a platform where the highest level of sustainable innovation, young entrepreneurship and industrial networking come together," emphasised Jan Philipp Hartmann, Director Anuga.

Anuga is consciously setting a signal with its cooperation with Ecotrophelia Europa: for the promotion of young talents, for sustainable added value - and for the future of the food industry.

“We are delighted to be back at ANUGA for the 2025 competition. Our collaboration with Koelnmesse provides the foundation to our efforts to bring our competitors together, and to give them the opportunity to experience how the food industry innovates in a rapidly changing world. We value the support and creativity of the ANUGA team so that we can showcase our emerging talent in action.” Maarten van der Kamp, President of Ecotrophelia Europe.

Ecotrophelia Europe - melting pot for sustainable food concepts
Ecotrophelia Europe is considered to be the "Champions League" of food innovation and has been shaping the European innovation discourse in the food industry for over 25 years. Every participating country organises a national preliminary round where the most innovative concepts for sustainable food products are selected - developed by student teams comprising of between 2 and 10 members. The respective winning teams subsequently compete against each other in the European final, which is staged during Anuga. The national rounds are coordinated by the respective food associations.

The competition is organised by EEIG (European Economical Interest Grouping) Ecotrophelia Europe, an alliance between seven national food associations and the European industry organisations, FoodDrinkEurope and EIT Food.

Promotion of innovation and cooperation throughout Europe
The aim of the competition is to establish a European-wide innovation ecosystem and transform sustainable product ideas from colleges and universities into marketable concepts long-term. The participants benefit from the direct contact with the industry, investors and project partners.

For the first time, Korea — a non-European country — will participate in the Ecotrophelia Europe competition, a particularly fitting expansion as Korea is also the official partner country of Anuga this year. This inaugural participation marks a significant step in increasing the competition’s international visibility and underscores the global relevance of sustainable food innovation. The organizers are especially pleased to welcome a Korean student team of four members this year, competing with their innovative product, “To-flex.” The connection between Korea as Anuga’s partner country and as the first non-European participant in the Ecotrophelia Europe competition is a strong symbol of growing global networking and the increasing importance of forward-looking food concepts.

Staging the European final at Anuga is a further milestone in the development of Ecotrophelia Europe and at the same time an enrichment for Anuga itself: It brings fresh ideas, new target groups and valuable impulses to Cologne for the entire food industry.

More information at ECOTROPHELIA EUROP | Anuga

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