The success story of Super Garden: revolutionizing the snack industry
The small but vibrant city of Panevėžys, Lithuania, has become a harbor of innovation and sustainability. Here, a mother’s innovative idea for healthy, tasty snacks for her children has blossomed into the thriving business “Super Garden.” Now, with support from the EIT Food community, it’s about to reach broader markets—beginning with Germany.
As its name suggests, “Super Garden” offers a variety of garden goodies—berries, fruits, vegetables—and beyond (even cheese), all preserved through a unique, innovative method: lyophilization, or freeze-drying. Laura Kaziukonienė, the founder of “Super Garden,” describes freeze-drying as one of the most effective food preservation methods worldwide: “It preserves up to 98% of the nutritional value and ensures a long shelf life without special storage conditions. This results in nutrition-rich products that also address food waste. For example, a fresh raspberry might spoil in two days, but a freeze-dried raspberry can last up to two years at home, ready as a healthy snack anytime.”
Best of all, these snacks are a perfect alternative to sugary products, with no additives, preservatives, added sugar, or other unnecessary ingredients—making them a great addition to our daily diets.
“Almost anything can undergo freeze-drying, except fats. Products like chocolate, butter, olive oil, and other fatty items aren’t suitable for this process. However, foods like meat, fish, dairy, and even liquids—including alcohol—can be successfully freeze-dried,” says Kaziukonienė. As a result, “Super Garden” has experimented extensively to create new flavors and now proudly boasts the world’s largest assortment of freeze-dried products, with over 300 items and more than 1,500 variations. There is a huge demand for unique natural products, and that’s precisely what “Super Garden” aims to deliver.
How did the idea come about? Interestingly, Laura found inspiration right at her kitchen table. When her kids were eating cereal with freeze-dried berries—at the time, she didn’t even know what they were—she noticed they would pick them out to eat first. She decided to buy more but couldn’t find any in the local market. That’s when she started researching this special processing method and came up with the idea to offer these berries as a product. “I started with packaging since I didn’t have a freeze-dryer. I created a brand, bought in bulk from Germany, repackaged, and, once I saw the market demand, purchased my first freeze-dryer. Things developed quickly from there,” she shared.
Working with Kaunas University of Technology scientist Jonas Damašius on snacks made from freeze-dried powders, which they later named BITES, she learned about the EIT Food program and decided to participate.
Their first attempt paid off: after intense competition, “Super Garden” won second place, validating their efforts. The most rewarding part was the attention from major companies, including Nestlé, which reached out to them. “Although nothing materialized, the fact that a major player from Switzerland’s research department contacted us confirmed that we were doing something intriguing,” Laura recalls.
This year, five years after their win, the EIT Food team in Germany reached out again. “They found us in their database, said they were looking for healthy snacks, and invited us to participate in REWE’s supplier selection process. Through EIT Food’s Germany contact, we went to Vienna in October, joined a meeting, and now we’re working together—it’s still very recent.”
Now “Super Garden” is on the brink of becoming part of REWE’s network of 50 chains, poised to expand into the much larger German market. This partnership marks a major milestone, enabling the company to reach a broader customer base within one of Europe’s largest markets and introduce its innovative, freeze-dried products to health-conscious consumers across the country.
First-year progress unveiled in the “SoulFood” consortium
This week, the “AgriFood Lithuania” team participated in a two-day consortium event in Romania, held by the “SoulFood” project partners. We are delighted to be part of such social initiatives in the agrifood sector, as it allows us to address real challenges faced by the entire food chain.
The goal of the “SoulFood” project is to reduce food waste and strengthen the connection between producers and social food distribution initiatives, ensuring that food from primary production is reused for vulnerable groups. Currently, innovative digital tools are being tested to help effectively achieve these goals.
During the consortium, together with our partners, we reviewed the first-year progress of the project – how we are adapting innovative tools to promote more sustainable agricultural and food production, and how we are strengthening the relationship between producers and food distribution initiatives. We also shared key insights and knowledge gained from previous learning events, discussions, and webinars, and outlined the project’s future perspectives.
The “SoulFood” initiative is important not only from an environmental perspective but also from social and economic aspects. We are eager to see the changes it will bring to the agrifood sector.
EWA Masterclass in Lithuania: empowering female leaders in the agrifood industry
Last week, ten ambitious innovators of the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) programme gathered for the second, knowledge-rich event, the EWA Masterclass. The goal of this Masterclass was to accelerate the growth of women’s entrepreneurship in the agrifood industry by bringing them together with their mentors for a day full of invaluable insights, new connections, and practical knowledge.
The EWA Masterclass, part of the Empowering Women in Agri-Food (EWA) programme, was held in Lithuania for the third time. On August 21, it welcomed women innovators and their mentors to the Vytautas Mineral SPA conference centre in Birštonas, Lithuania. The programme aims to empower early-stage female entrepreneurs to leverage their leadership and entrepreneurship skills to overcome challenges and achieve success, providing them with the knowledge and confidence needed to effectively launch and sustain their businesses in the agrifood sector.
On this full-day training, participants developed practical skills in team-building, financial management, regulatory compliance, and innovation. Through networking sessions and practical workshops, they improved their public speaking skills, drafted promotional messages, engaged in financial planning, and developed effective communication strategies. They were also introduced to European Union regulations and the new "Green Deal" and "Farm to Fork" strategies.
Classes and workshops fostering leadership and entrepreneurship
The event opened with AgriFood Lithuania CEO and Lithuanian #EWA ambassador Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė wishing participants a productive day, courage, and strength to face challenges. In the first session, Virginija Lukšienė, Director at EKOAGROS, discussed agrifood regulations, sustainability practices, and environmental impact, providing practical exercises with case studies on compliance and sustainability.
In the next session, Oksana Šimoliūnaitė, Product Manager at Kauno Grūdai, introduced pricing and financial planning for agricultural and food products, sharing relevant case studies from Kauno Grūdai products. Participants learned how to set the right product price by researching the market, adding a markup, or focusing on customer value while understanding expenses. They applied this new knowledge in a workshop where they created a simple pricing and financial plan for their products.
Dr. Karolina Trakšelytė-Rupšienė, Coordinator at Innovation Agency Lithuania, BioTech Lab, shed light on the latest trends and technologies in the agrifood sector, as well as the new "Green Deal" and "Farm to Fork" strategies, with case studies of current innovations in the sector. Following this session, Milda Karčiauskaitė, EIT NCP Programme Coordinator at NCP Unit, shared essential European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) programs for every startup. In a workshop led by Gytis Junevičius, President of the Lithuanian Cluster Network, participants honed their leadership skills and prepared an "Elevator Pitch" to present their innovative ideas.
Additionally, Gabrielė Madzeliauskaitė, Supply Chain Planning Manager at Kauno Grūdai, discussed food safety and supply chain management and led a workshop on developing a personal product and/or service supply chain in the agrifood sector. Lastly, Gediminas Kvietkauskas, CEO at East West Agro (EWA), shared communication strategies, motivation, and personal development opportunities for agrifood innovators. In his workshop, participants learned how to effectively convey their startup's value proposition, mission, and vision.
The fruitful day concluded with a joint dinner where innovators, mentors, and speakers had the opportunity for informal conversations, discussions, exchanging ideas, experiences, and offering advice. This Masterclass provided a valuable chance to enhance leadership and entrepreneurship skills and network with women entrepreneurs in the agrifood sector.
ICAERUS is launching its 2nd PULL Open Call
The ICAERUS project is launching the second round of PULL OPEN calls for Farming, Forestry and Rural Challenges on July 8, 2024 with funding available for 6 innovative ideas!
ICAERUS is a project launched July 2022 and funded by Horizon Europe aiming to showcase and support the effective, efficient and safe deployment of drones, as well as identify the risks and added values associated with their use.
The project has issued two types of Open Calls, each with two release dates, providing financial support to third parties as a mechanism for harvesting ideas and datasets from the ecosystem and accelerating the formation of a European network for optimising the adoption of drone technologies in rural areas.
2nd PULL OPEN CALL for Farming, Forestry and Rural Challenges
To do what?
The PULL Open Calls for Forestry, Farming and Rural Challenges will award 6 successful applicants with up to 50,000 € to implement projects aiming to utilise drones and the services built around them for individual commercial needs and/or community-related issues. The following types of applications/solutions (but not limited to) are expected to be funded:
- Applying innovative solutions that leverage drone technology to address specific challenges faced by farmers, foresters, and rural communities.
- Sustainable agriculture, such as using drones to support regenerative farming methods, reduce the use of pesticides and fertilisers, and improve soil health.
- Logistics and supply chain management, such as for transporting goods and deliveries to remote areas, managing inventory and distribution, and monitoring supply chain operations using drones.
- Infrastructure monitoring and maintenance, such as using drones to inspect and maintain roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure in rural areas.
- Energy management, such as using drones to monitor and optimise renewable energy systems such as wind turbines and solar panels (agrivoltaics).
- Water management, such as the use of drones to monitor and manage water resources, including dams, reservoirs and irrigation systems.
- Public safety, such as the use of drones for crime prevention and law enforcement, disaster relief and response, and emergency medical services.
Who can apply?
ICAERUS is looking for agri-food producers, environmental monitoring entities and rural communities who are either SMEs or rural community/cooperative with a valid VAT or relevant registry number within eligible Horizon Europe countries. This include: Member States of the European Union, their outermost regions, and Overseas Countries and Territories linked to an EU Member as well as nationals of Horizon Europe associated countries.More information is provided in the Applicant’s Guide which is available on the ICAERUS website.
Examples of applications eligible for funding:
- Crop monitoring and analysis using drones: Applying software and hardware solutions for the use of drones to collect and analyse data on crops, such as growth rates, yield estimates and pest infestations.
- Precision agriculture with drones: Applying drone-based systems for precision agriculture, e.g., for mapping soil moisture, applying fertilisers and pesticides and managing irrigation systems.
- Monitoring forests and wildlife with drones: Applying drone systems for forest and wildlife monitoring, including habitat mapping, animal tracking and forest fire detection.
- Disaster management and risk reduction using drones: Apply drone-based systems for disaster management, e.g., for search and rescue missions, delivery of medical supplies and providing situational awareness in disaster scenarios.
- Environmental monitoring with drones: Applying drone-based systems for environmental monitoring, e.g., for mapping water quality, measuring air pollution and tracking changes in land use.
- Rural connectivity through drones: Applying drone-based solutions for rural community connectivity, e.g., for providing internet access or communication during natural disasters.
Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals based on their own ideas related to the topic of ICAERUS PULL Open Calls, however in order to be eligible, proposals need to address challenges in Rural Areas.
Timeline
The applications open on July 8, 2024, and closes on October 16, 2024. Sub-projects implementation will be divided into three phases: Design, Development and Market, lasting a total of 12 months, beginning February, 2025.
How to apply?
Register on the Open Call Hub to apply! You can find all of the details for the 2nd PULL Open Call on the ICAERUS website, at icaerus.eu/open-calls/.
Evaluation will be conducted by independent evaluators who will assess the quality of each application including the concept and feasibility, technology readiness and innovation development, Impact and exploitation, as well as organisational capacity and allocation of resources. Full evaluation criteria will be available in the Open Call Kit documents found in the Open Call Hub.
English is the official language for ICAERUS Open Calls. Applications submitted in any other language will not be evaluated. English is also the only official language throughout the whole execution of the ICAERUS project. This means all requested contributions must be submitted in English to be eligible.
Points of contact
For all the information related to ICAERUS Open Calls please state your question on the FAQ section on the ICAERUS Open Call Hub page opencallhub.eu or contact us at icaerus@opencallhub.eu.
“Women innovators”: watch the interview with K. Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė
Rasa Tumaševičiūtė, analyst of science, technology and innovation policy, creator and host of the documentic show “Women Innovators”, interviews Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė, CEO of AgriFood Lithuania. What made her decide to be a female leader in a field still dominated by men? How came the desire to build the future by tackling key challenges and collaborating at national and international level? What concrete actions can we take to make the Lithuanian agrifood sector a priority? Insights on these and many other interesting topics are coming soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-iXSn8LWRY&list=PLUXbGUSqnN1j7G6u8gwX6UXAfI4z_qRE2&index=4
Another EWA edition: top female innovators will compete in 2024
Women’s role is crucial for agrifood innovation and sustainable development, but there are still too few opportunities for them to show leadership in the sector. EIT Food’s EWA - Empowering Women in Agrifood programme aims to change this situation and promote the potential of innovative, entrepreneurial women to be at the forefront of future-changing solutions. On 25th of June, it officially launched for the third time in Lithuania. Innovators will have six months to work with experienced mentors for personal growth, idea purification or startup strengthening. The best ones will also receive cash prizes.
The standard of applications never set higher
EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. In our country, AgriFood Lithuania, a cluster and digital innovation hub, traditionally coordinates the project, initiated by the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community.
The growing number of candidates reflects its success and the need for it: while 20 women expressed their interest in becoming part of the EWA in 2021, this year almost 50 women applied. Moreover, the majority of applications were very strong. For this reason, according to Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė, CEO of AgriFood Lithuania and EWA Lithuania Ambassador, a competent jury of external experts and EIT Food representatives faced a challenge in selecting the top ten.
“For the shortlisted, I wish you to make the most of this extraordinary opportunity and keep your motivation for the next stage: grow your knowledge, know-how, personal confidence and ambition. The experience of previous years shows that for everyone who puts in enough effort, the programme can be a fatal stepping stone to success, even if they do not win a prize”, motivated K. Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė at the opening event the new EWA mentees.
Agnė Vaitiekūnaitė, Viktorija Šiukščiūtė, Aistė Leonaitienė, Božena Lazovska, Inga Matulytė, Ugnė Dirdaitė, Paulina Jonutė, Greta Budreikė, Ingrida Kuprevičiūtė, Urtė Raubytė have become participants of the EWA 2024.
Mentorship of business, science, and public sector professionals
The organisers of the programme invited women from all over Lithuania to a festive start at the Pacai Hotel in Vilnius. Here, they received detailed information about the EIT Food community, got to know each other and the experts accompanying the programme, and presented their ideas more broadly. After the general meeting, the first active personal matchmaking session with their mentors started.
The team of experts was formed according to the skills and knowledge that the participants wanted to acquire. All professionals are leaders in their respective fields and willing to share their expertise and practical guidance for women who seek to implement innovative ideas.
The mentors will include Jelena Ramanauskienė, Head of Administration at Kauno Grūdai, Eglė Vaičiūkynaitė, Assoc. Prof. of Practice at the KTU School of Economics and Business, Co-founder and CEO of Neuromarketing & AI Lab in California (US) and Vilnius (Lithuania), dr. Aistė Balčiūnaitienė, Senior Researcher at Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, CEO of Biofita, Director of Varėnos Pienelis Jolanta Kuzminienė, Lecturer at the VU Business School Inga Juozapavičienė, CEO of Sibena (Vikonda Group) Gintarė Alčiauskienė. Also, Ignas Šlapkauskas, EIC Programme Manager of the Lithuanian Innovation Centre, Justas Stanys, Business Development and Innovatios Manager at Kauno Grūdai, Algirdas Augustinas, COO of Vikeda, and Elmantas Pocevičius, CEO of Švenčionių Vaistažolės & Acorus Calamus, Head of R&D Department at Vision DEM4 Laboratory, VU lector.
For six months, the EWA participants will develop their entrepreneurial ideas with the help of the above-mentioned experts, and in November, they will present their progress at the AgriFood Forum 2024. Those three who have shown the most progress will share 18,000€, which will help them to successfully develop their young business. Kauno Grūdai, the partners of the programme, have founded a cash prize for the third place this year.
Are you a farmer? Apply for testing tool for agrifood sustainability and social impact
The SOULFOOD project, or “Digital Solutions for a More Sustainable, Inclusive, and Connected Agrifood Value Chain”, aims to reduce food waste, enhance agrifood sustainability, and improve the distribution of products to vulnerable groups through innovative technologies. The developed digital solution will help manage and repurpose food losses through community initiatives. Lithuanian agrifood producers interested in testing it can apply from June 11 to 26, 23:59.
Transitioning to more sustainable production and consumption models in the food sector is a crucial social challenge that must be addressed to ensure Europe meets its goal of halving food waste by 2030. In 2020, more than one in five people at risk of poverty (21.7%), and 8.6% of EU citizens could not afford a meal with meat, fish, or a vegetarian equivalent every second day. At the same time, the European agrifood sector still faces a significant issue of food waste.
Technology is beneficial to every farmer
Farmers testing the tool will have the opportunity to reduce not only their food waste but also associated CO2 emissions and water usage as well as try out more sustainable and efficient production practices. Another key benefit is digitizing different activities (from inventory to distribution) on one platform. New collaboration opportunities between local producers and community organizations will open up prospects for business growth and social impact.
Besides, the platform will provide valuable insights into sustainable practices and agrifood producers will participate in training - educational activities are crucial for raising awareness about food losses. The program is intuitive and designed for ease of use, allowing for the preparation of reports and analyses, enabling data-driven decision-making to improve resources management and operations.
On the platform, producers can offer support, specifying details such as product name, weight, volume, or perishability, while recipients and carriers can accept it. Notifications will be sent by email for each status change in food donation: confirmation, transportation, or delivery. This combination of functions will not only optimize local producers’ operations but also promote their social responsibility and contribution to communities.
Who can apply?
To be eligible for this call, you should be an enterprise or self-employed worker with an agrifood economic activity with up to 100 employees and have all necessary administrative permits. Applicants should be agrifood producers in one of the categories covering non-perennial and perennial crop growing (NACE codes A1.1 and A1.2 respectively).
The place of registration must be Lithuania. Finally, all applicants will need to submit documents proving that individuals are properly registered with the state treasury and social security system, and legal entities are properly established and registered in the relevant public register.
Selected participants commit to using the digital tool throughout the testing period, adhering to project and contract provisions. Also, designate a person to lead the communication between the applicant and the SOULFOOD consortium. They will also be required to provide the information requested by the partners of the initiative to ensure compliance with EC request or direction related to the proper management of the tested solution.
Six farmers in Lithuania will be invited to test the innovation. Half of them will test the technology in the summer and autumn seasons, the other three in the spring. Each will receive a payment of €1,500 to fulfill the requirements, with split pays in November 2024 and upon project end. The official language of the applications is Lithuanian. If you are interested and would like to participate, please contact edita@agrifood.lt and note that the call closes on 26 June. Below you will find the documents you will need to submit:
- SOULFOOD OPEN CALL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR AGRIFOOD PRODUCERS
- ANNEX I. CALENDAR OF THE CALL OF PRODUCERS
- ANNEX II. AGRIFOOD PRODUCERS APPLICATION FORM
- ANNEX III. EVALUATION FORM
Valereco
VALERECO is a new project funded under the Horizon Europe Program. The project brings together a diverse consortium of 15 partners from 11 countries and officially commenced with a successful Kick-Off meeting in Athens, Greece.
During the kick-off meeting on 17 and 18 June 2024, a public launching event was hosted to present and raise issues related to the project’s goal, such as productive, climate-neutral, environment-friendly, and resilient farming systems.
VALERECO aims to highlight legumes' often overlooked benefits and encourage their integration into cropping systems, supporting environmental sustainability in agricultural productivity.
The primary objective is to promote understanding and adoption of legume crops in agriculture by quantifying and enhancing the environmental and economic value of the Ecosystem Services (ES) offered by legume crops. The project will promote farmers' and agricultural advisers' knowledge and capacity to include eight major and four minor legume crops in their cropping schemes while raising awareness of the positive ecological and economic impact.
As Prof. Ilias Travlos, the project coordinator, states that “in the era of biodiversity loss, climate change and food safety at risk and given the present spotlight on legumes on EU research and policy, our ambition is to valorize legumes and their ecosystem services and to suggest and evaluate realistic and sustainable ways of legumes’ inclusion into diverse cropping systems”.
Why Legume Ecosystem Services are important?
Incorporating legumes into cropping systems offers significant benefits, including improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, and reduced need for synthetic fertilizers. However, many farmers often underestimate or are unaware of these benefits.
VALERECO will deliver and measure the important ES provided by legumes in different cropping systems. This includes major crops used for food or feed, as well as subsidiary crops like cover crops or living mulch. The project will assess three major pulses (soybean, pea, chickpea), five major forages (vetch, clover, white clover, red clover, lucerne), one minor forage (sulla), and three minor grain legumes (lupins, faba bean, lentil). These can be both annual and perennial and may be grown alone or in combination with other crops.
VALERECO adopts a comprehensive approach, summarized as Identify - Valorize - Disseminate legume Ecosystem Services (ES) to provide the knowledge, resources, and innovative solutions required for effective legume cultivation. This approach involves:
- Identification: Conducting thorough analyses of existing ecosystem services and exploring ways to integrate legumes into the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
- Valorization: Establishing nine (9) Living Labs (LLs) across six (6) European countries to promote legume adoption through behavioural design strategies, participatory trials, and the demonstration of technical and economic solutions.
- Dissemination: Creating a Digital Legume Information Hub (DLIH), a Decision Support System (DSS), and an E-learning platform to enhance knowledge transfer and support decision-making for farmers and advisors.
VALERECO engages multiple stakeholders, including farmers, agricultural advisors, researchers, industry stakeholders, policy makers, and consumers, in co-creation activities and demonstration events to showcase the potential of legumes-based diversified farming systems in VALERECO LLs. In addition, it will provide policy recommendations and work closely with national and international projects, networks, and organizations to ensure that the capacity-building material reaches a wide audience and can be scaled up.
Partners:
- Agricultural University of Athens
- Burgundy School of Business
- Delphy
- University of Coimbra
- Foodscale Hub
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops
- Leibniz University Hannover
- Stichting Wageningen Research
- Instituto Navarro de Tecnologias e Infraestructuras groalimentarias
- AgriFood Lithuania DIH
- University of Florence
- University of Pisa
- AgFutura Technologies
- Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna
- Helvetas
Project website: https://valereco.eu/