Niedersachsen has a successful food industry! Find out more about the opportunities Niedersachsen can offer you and your company. Get in touch with us!
Numerous medium-sized hidden champions
Dense networks of internationally successful companies
Over 400,000 people work in agriculture in Niedersachsen every day
Many universities, research institutions and start-ups
The transition to a climate-friendly circular economy is of great importance
The entire value chain is at home in Niedersachsen
Around 50% of potato production in Germany originates from fields in Niedersachsen. What’s even more interesting is that the upstream and downstream value chains are also based in the region. For example, farm machinery firm Grimme and potato processor and chips producer Argrarfroft are both international leaders in their industries.
Rügenwalder Mühle: on trend with alternative proteins
A success story from Niedersachsen
Tofu sausage, veggie burgers or cheese alternatives: vegan foods are in vogue. The production of vegan products in Germany has risen by 62% compared to 2019. In 2021 production was worth approx. €460 million. Rügenwalder Mühle is an example of a business which has successfully expanded its operations: in 2021 the traditional sausage producer saw more sales from vegan and vegetarian products than from meat products.
The market for alternatives to traditional dairy products is also experiencing explosive growth. More and more consumers are regularly opting for plant-based milk.
Thus, imports to Germany well over doubled between 2017 and 2020. The market value in 2020 was around €396 million.
Innovations in Niedersachsen
In Niedersachsen there are various institutes and research institutions researching the latest innovations. The agrifood state initiative LI Food supports active technology transfer to promote innovation processes in companies through its networks.
LI Food – agrifood state initiative
The LI Food agrifood state initiative supports the food industry by actively connecting businesses, policymakers, the research community and society.
3N e.V.
Central information centre for the use of renewables for materials and energy as well as for bioenergy in Niedersachsen.
Digitalisation of the food industry
Digitalisation plays an important role, not least in food security, e.g. in the seamless tracing of foodstuffs and the raw materials used.
- Central contact for digital support in the development of DigitalHub Farm&Food innovations: Digital platform for the agrifood sector
- Digital Agency of Niedersachsen: Central contact for the development of innovations
- The Hannover Laser Centre (LZH) pursues smart agricultural technology: Refinement of foodstuffs using laser-based processes
Start-up centres and accelerators in the food sector
Seedhouse Accelerator for innovations in agriculture, food and digitalisation
ROOTCAMP Accelerator in the agrifood tech sector
Growhouse - High-tech incubator for farm, food and AI
Start-up Niedersachsen – Food & Agriculture network Advice, support and matchmaking for start-ups
FoodHyper Central starting point for food start-ups
BIQ – Business and Innovation Park Quakenbrück
DIL Innovation Hub The DIL Innovation Hub is partner to EIT Food, the leading pan-European consortium focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation in the food sector.
Networks in Niedersachsen
LI Food – agrifood state initiative
The LI Food agrifood state initiative supports the food industry by actively connecting businesses, policymakers, the research community and society.
Read moreMarketing company of the agricultural and food industry of Niedersachsen
Business development organisation of Niedersachsen’s agrifood sector
Read moreThe EIP network for agriculture & innovation in Niedersachsen
This network promotes innovation projects that contribute to a competitive and sustainably commercial agrifood industry.
Photos and sample projects:
Read moreYour contact for help with choosing a location, funding options and networking
We’re there for you
Thorsten Schwanert
IT, food industry, mechanical and plant engineering, service industry
Friedrichswall 1
30159 Hanover
Germany