With one of the highest R&D budgets in France, Nord-Pas de Calais possesses enormous potential based on government research and the regional food industry companies’ leading edge laboratories.    

The means to succeed 

The region possesses a structured network of scientific and technological expertise in line with the needs of the regional food industry economy:

• Food safety,
• Plant biotechnologies,
• Food manufacture and process engineering. 

The transfer of technology and technical support for companies are provided in particular by:

• Technical centres equipped with experimental workshops and formulation   laboratories: ADRIANOR (Association for the development of applied research  in the agro-food industries of Northern France), CEVPM (Centre for studies  and optimum utilization of sea food products), INRACQ, a technical center dedicated to craft industry.
  
  
• Food safety specialists: SERMHA (Department of microbiology and food  hygiene) at the Institut Pasteur in Lille, in conjunction with government bodies  such as AFSSA (French agency for food health and safety) in Boulogne, part of  INRA (National agronomic research institute) in Villeneuve-d’Ascq,
  
  
• Two food industry engineering schools: the ISA Group and the IAAL (Farming  and food product) department of POLYTECH’LILLE,
  
  
• An interface centre between companies and centres of expertise: CERTIA INTERFACE.

Three competitiveness clusters for the food industry

• The aquatic products cluster develops the competitiveness of firms involved with sea and aquaculture products by responding to their needs and helping them with the long-term continuance of their activities through innovation, quality and technological development.
  
• The nutrition, healthcare, longevity cluster accelerates partnerships concerning nutrition, health and functional ingredients. It supports the development of innovative processes and products for the prevention and treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular and associated ailments and agerelated illnesses through nutrition.
  
• The materials for domestic use cluster is dedicated to innovation in chemicals and high-tech materials for creating new everyday food and tableware products.