FOODCoST at Biofach 2025: Driving Sustainability in School Catering

The FOODCoST project made its mark at Biofach 2025, the world’s leading trade fair for organic agriculture, which includes an international congress. As part of Case Study 10, the FOODCoST team presented the latest findings from the partners Technische Hochschule Nürnberg and Ecozept on the acceptance and feasibility of sustainable catering in European schools.

Event Details

EU Experiment on Sustainable Catering: High Acceptance Among School Children and Canteen Staff – How to Scale Up?

📅 Date & Time: Thursday, February 13, at 3:00 PM
📍 Location: Special Area Organic out of Home, Hall 6 – 275

Organizers: Technische Hochschule Nürnberg, Ecozept

Short Description
The EU research project FOODCoST delivered exciting findings for canteens and the organic sector through a large case study conducted in France, Austria, and Germany. School children and canteen staff highly accepted alternative dishes with low environmental impact. Scientists and practitioners discussed unpublished research results: How can this success be scaled up?

Moderation and Speaker List

Moderator: Carola Hofmann, Research Associate / PhD Candidate, Technische Hochschule Nürnberg

Speakers:

• Lennart Stein, Research Associate / PhD Candidate, Technische Hochschule Nürnberg
• Michael Böhm, Project Manager, ECOZEPT
• Benjamin Oebel, Research Associate / PhD Candidate, Technische Hochschule Nürnberg

Key Presentation Highlights

Project experts shared the latest research results on 13th February at 3:00 PM, at the “Organic out of Home area” (Hall 6 – 275). The session focused on how sustainable practices were successfully implemented in school canteens, winning over both students and staff.

Technische Hochschule Nürnberg and Ecozept led the presentation, outlining strategies to scale up these practices and make them even more accessible in different school settings. Attendees gained valuable insights into the environmental, social, and economic benefits of adopting organic and sustainable food in schools.

Impact and the Future of Sustainable Food

The discussion demonstrated that sustainable catering is not just a trend but a viable solution for the future of school nutrition. Audience engagement highlighted significant interest in expanding these initiatives to more institutions, ensuring sustainability remains at the heart of food policies.

FOODCoST will continue working to promote innovative and accessible solutions that facilitate the transition to more sustainable food systems across Europe.

To learn more about the results presented at Biofach 2025 and the project’s impact, follow us on social media and stay up to date with our upcoming initiatives!