Processing industry – foodRegio

The network

The food processing industry has a long tradition in Schleswig-Holstein. In terms of sales and employment, it is the region’s most important industry in the manufacturing sector (after engineering). Established in the Lübeck region in 2005, foodRegio is an industry network that seeks to promote the sustainable growth of Schleswig- Holstein’s food processing industry. The network currently provides support to almost 70 companies and is continually acquiring new members.

A demand for expertise

The network’s members participate in working groups devoted to specific industry themes. These range from procurement and logistics through innovation, quality and certification to packaging, marketing and communication. Seminars help members put industry-specific knowledge into practice, while innovative projects and campaigns promote companies’ image and visibility among skilled employees.

Sharing ideas

Research institutes – notably Lübeck University of Applied Sciences and the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Marine Biotechnology – share applied expertise and methodological approaches with network members. Annual events such as the foodRegio Trend Day, the foodRegio Marketing Day and the foodRegio Marketing Menu promote shared learning processes on current issues in the food processing industry.

“foodRegio pools expertise in the food industry in order to develop more efficient processes in production and distribution and to ensure the highest food quality on a sustainable basis.”

Cluster in Action: foodRegio

Qualification as a strategy

The foodRegio trainee program "Werde Foodstarter" [Become a Food Starter] has created an effective tool to educate school graduates about the educational and dual study opportunities in the food industry. In support of this, the cluster has developed the "werde-foodstarter.de" job portal to provide detailed information on this training offer.

Feeling the pulse of time

With regard to company-based training and education, foodRegio offers a high-quality training program. Qualification measures were also initiated in cooperation with the companies. The best example is the program "Machine Operation in Food Technology". It includes six subject modules over 30 practical and theoretical day sessions within a period of 12 months with a specially designed IHK certificate as the final degree. 

Academic

In addition, the Bachelor's program "Business Engineering in Food Industry" was developed together with the Lübeck University of Applied Sciences and the cluster companies, and was included in the curriculum for the winter semester 2011/12. During the preparation, the needs of the companies were worked out and the formal structures and procedures of the curriculum were defined.