In the entire project, the involvement of citizens-consumers is essential. If we speak about the future, then young people are at the core of this story, as consumers of the future. So youngsters are the main target group in awareness creation, but also as an important source of information and inspiration concerning taste preferences, perception, purchase behaviour etc
This is why we aim to involve youth as much as possible in the process to come up with new ideas and solutions.
We’re focussing on two groups of youth
Secondary school pupils (10-18 years): The development of new and original educational module allows teachers to work on topics such as ‘what will we be eating in the future?’ This module is an addition to the already existing framework about sustainable nourishment.
The module was tested among students during the Science Week at KULeuven, Heilig Hart secondary school at Heverlee (4th secondary) and VKO Opwijk (1-2nd secondary). GoodPlanet fine-tuned the module, so it can be further rolled out in the Good Food@School project in schools during the academic year 2017-18.
In April 2017, product innovation was launched within Colruyt Group in cooperation with a group of young people. During a 1-day workshop, the youngsters thought about innovative products for the future. Which products would they like to see on the shelves in 2018? In what form should pulses, seaweed and quinoa appear on the shelves? Not only in their dried form…but then, in what way? As spreads, pasta, snack?
In addition we would like to collaborate with school caterers by adding more ‘food of the future’ on the menus of the school cafeterias.
Young entrepreneurs (18+):
On the other hand, marketing students at UC Leuven – Limburg support the project in making the message of feeding the 9 billion more appealing to the general public. Based on what insights do we send product development in the right direction? How do you take people along in this story? And how can you ensure that these sustainable products are introduced in the eating patterns of the Belgians?
It is in this framework that the foodlab was elaborated, a food trailer that can be seen in the streets (markets, festivals, events) and that allows by-passers to get a taste of the future!
Starting from the academic year 2017-18, UCLL also links nutrition and diet science students to the project. In collaboration with a SME from Flemish Brabant they will develop a new product … more news to follow!
