B-RESILIENT

Optimal Use of Biomass

More than ever, we are aware that we live in a world of limited resources. Global challenges, from the environmental crisis to disruptions caused by COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, make the transition to a climate-neutral society urgent. The European Green Deal reinforces this ambition, aiming for a climate-neutral continent by 2050 while protecting people, the planet, and prosperity.

European agri-food value chains have faced significant pressure in recent years, with rising volatility in energy costs, logistics, and resource availability. They are also particularly vulnerable due to the perishable nature of food and fluctuating raw material quality and supply. These challenges are expected to intensify under the effects of climate change, population growth, evolving consumer demands, and workforce ageing. A profound transformation is therefore needed to build a more sustainable, competitive, and resilient sector.

In this context, the B-Resilient project supports food processing SMEs in strengthening their resilience through better use of biomass and digital solutions. Based on a circular, zero-waste approach, it promotes the valorisation of side streams into innovative bio-based ingredients. The project runs for three years, with a total budget of €1.5 million.

Objectives

It helps strengthen resilience and accelerate the twin transitions (green and digital) through six specific objectives:

Foster networking to improve the resilience of the EU’s industrial ecosystems by developing value chain interconnections within the EU Single Market.
Adopting processes and technologies to strengthen the transition toward a greener and more digital economy.
Training to promote the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce while attracting talent.
Going global to facilitate access to global supply and value chains.
Raise awareness to attract economic actors, primarily SMEs, beyond Euroclusters’ locations.

Finally, the B-Resilient project has defined an ambitious set of support actions to enable food processing SMEs to become more resilient through the optimal use of biomass and appropriate digital solutions. The project will focus on maximizing the use of available raw materials and the subsequent conversion of by-products into innovative bio-based ingredients. The B-Resilient project is built on a zero-waste and circular economy concept, enhancing the competitiveness of food processing SMEs from an environmentally sustainable perspective.

Tools and support

The Skills Hub is aimed at supporting European Food Production SMEs in building their resilience. The skills hub is a comprehensive document tool, packed with links to different resources and knowledge on biomass valorisation and zero waste.

More info