Christian Fretter

Head of Product Development Pizza International, Dr. August Oetker Nahrungsmittel KG

"The SmartFoodTechnologyOWL cluster project gives the Dr. Oetker company the opportunity to make solution approaches from the competence area of food production combined with intelligent automation and prognostics tangible. With its network of scientific disciplines, the cluster offers excellent conditions for this.

The cross-value-added approach is also of great importance here, because many steps have to be taken into account, from raw materials through processing to trade and consumers. A particular challenge here is the very complex process of material change in food. Looking at IP3 (data analysis and autonomous prognostics to improve the transparency and safety of food), for example, the potential of a prognostic best-before date in terms of resource efficiency becomes apparent. I am convinced that very practical solutions will emerge here and in the other projects in the near future."

Dr. Stefan Pecoroni

Vice President Process Technology & Innovation, GEA Group

"As a leading supplier of machines and plants for the global food industry and other demanding process industries, we at GEA rely on reliable external research partners and cooperations to achieve our ambitious innovation goals.

As a long-standing project partner, we have been able to gain a lot of positive experience in this regard in our cooperation with HS OWL, whether in the context of larger collaborations such as SMART Food OWL, or for smaller individual projects.

Especially the expertise in the field of food technology in combination with digital competence always results in exciting approaches for innovative, digital solutions in the food industry. So we see great potential in the collaboration in the future as well."