About us
Our mission
The Food Pilot offers an integrated package of services ranging from the first innovative idea to a successful end-product. The client can choose support for one, several or all of the steps in an innovation process, accompanied as desired by a project-specific package of testing, analysis and advice. Make contact for an appointment and visit our facilities. We wish you a warm welcome.
Anniversary of Food Pilot
In 2021 Food Pilot celebrated it's 10 years anniversary! Now 12 years ago, the Flemish Minister of Economy decided that the pilot infrastructure and technical advice for the food sector could be expanded considerably. The existing "national dairy station" in Melle which is part of ILVO and Flanders' FOOD invested in multifunctional, semi-industrial machinery and, above all, in knowledge and well-oiled support for innovative and solution-seeking companies.
Some numbers
In 2022 190 technological advices were given. These are intake meetings in which the question is analysed, advice is given and the tests that are opportune are considered.
In addition, 638 pilot tests were conducted for 110 clients. The number of pilot tests per year quadrupled since the start of the Food Pilot 11 years ago.
Of the 110 clients of pilot tests in 2022, 32 were new contacts. 66 clients were industrial companies, of which 44 were Belgian and 22 foreign, with 38% being SMEs. There were also pilot tests for 13 agricultural companies, of which 8 were Belgian and 5 Dutch. 11 entities were knowledge institutions or companies. Finally, 14 assignments were in the context of (international) projects.
The largest proportion of clients of pilot tests were producers of alternative protein sources (21%), dairy processors (16%), dairy analogues (13%) and vegetables (14%).
In 2022, about 25,000 nutritional analyses were performed for more than 200 private companies (food companies, farmers, other labs, certification & inspection bodies, consumer organisations, kit manufacturers, pharmaceutical industry, and so on) in the context of product improvement or problem solving.
Bovendien werden een 100-tal verschillende items (ringonderzoeken, standaarden, referentiereeksen, controlemonsters) voor kwaliteitsborging door ILVO aangemaakt voor 65 verschillende klanten (melkcontrole laboratoria, bedrijven, kitproducenten, wetenschappelijke instellingen, ….)..
In total, more than 300 companies are thus reached every year.
Welcome to the future
To conclude the anniversary, Joris Relaes, administrator general of ILVO, points to the societal value of a full-on, lifelong commitment to a sustainable agri-food chain. He remarks that this meets the European Commission’s Green Deal goals. ILVO strives to attain these European goals, and to meet the demands of the Flemish minister Hilde Crevits’ call for action against food losses and in favor of the proteins shift through the ‘Food Changers’ campaign.
