Over 1,500 visitors at the 10th edition of the HAS Food Experience

200 HAS students

Over 200 HAS students from both venues of HAS University of Applied Sciences in Den Bosch and Venlo presented their graduation projects in the food and agriculture domains. They varied from innovative food concepts, to visions of the future of food; from reducing waste flows, to process validations; from quality projects to new packaging possibilities; and from new products and market approaches, to start-up food entrepreneurs.

Programme

Seven study programmes with food-related projects from the final year were on display: Food Innovation, Food Technology, International Food & Agribusiness, Business Management in Agriculture & Food, Environmental Studies, Horticulture & Business Management and Animal Husbandry.

The exhibition of the graduation projects was divided into 6 categories:

• Circular challenge: Projects in response to waste reduction, sustainability, reusing raw materials, and the circular economy
• Technology challenge: Projects using new and existing technology, technological process adaptations and technological applications for ingredients
• Consumer challenge: How to communicate with consumers, and consumer frustrations and temptations (in the supermarket)
• Smart challenge: Projects with useful and clever solutions to improve ease-of-use, and functional solutions
• Health challenge: Projects in response to the desire for a healthy diet, health-improving products and ingredients, and protein transition
• Start-up challenge: Projects and/or entrepreneurs wanting to start or upscale their company

FoodManShip Awards

Each year, at the end of the HAS Food Experience, the FoodManShip Awards are presented. FoodManShip stands for the unique combination of creativity, entrepreneurship and food know-how, with which students are able to differentiate themselves in the market. The winners are selected by a professional jury, led by various professors from HAS University of Applied Sciences. A Public Prize award is also awarded to the audience’s favourite project. Visitors voted on one of the many projects during the HAS Food Experience.

Special FoodManShip Award as part of the 10th anniversary

Because this was the 10th edition of the HAS Food Experience, the organisation awarded a special FoodManShip Award to one alumnus, who, according to the jury, had developed the project with the biggest impact during the past 10 years of HAS Food Experience. This project went to Michael Luesink’s Boon Food Concepts. With his ‘Boon concept’ (boon is the Dutch word for bean), Michael wants to make eating Dutch-grown beans popular again. He won a FoodManShip Award during the 2014 Food Experience.

This year’s award-winners:

Circular challenge:

Double winner:

• Yeasterday by Nora Ridder: Yeasterday, the no-waste bakery bakes delicious and artisanal bread in a sustainable way using fermented rejected fruit.
• Tasteful Pea Protein Applications by EIise van der Laan, Lynn Martens, Sjanien Groenenboom and Saskia Horde: A vegan liqueur and marshmallows made from pea proteins that contribute to the protein transition.

The Circular challenge is made possible by Rabobank and AgriFood Capital.

Technology challenge:

• Savourollz by Hannerieke Huijben, Andrea Koolen and Manon van Lith: A delicious and healthy snack based on a savoury spread.

The Technology challenge is made possible by Rabobank Foundation and Royal Smilde.

Consumer challenge:

• Smaak Vermaak by Candice van Loon: Smaak Vermaak is a snack that brings people together. It helps avoid silent and awkward moments during a date, with its surprising flavours and challenging questions.

The Consumer challenge is made possible by Foodmakers.

Smart challenge:

• pizZO by Iris Alting: pizZO is the ultimate easy packaging for frozen pizzas. It can be opened in one simple movement, placed in the oven and there’s no washing up.

The Smart challenge is made possible by Hessing Super Vers and Hutten Catering.

Health challenge:

• The Breakfast Chef by Maud Kennis: A quick, fresh, surprising and nutritious breakfast from a specially designed vending machine.

The Health challenge is made possible by Albert Heijn.

Start-up challenge:

• City Light Hops by Ramon Verheggen: An urban hop farm that produces hops for the best beers throughout the year.

The Startup challenge is made possible by Appèl and Ondernemerslift+.

Public Prize:

• Hartstikke Gruun Groentebeleg by Chantal van der Noordt: Easy and healthy sandwich spread with no less than 97% vegetables.

HAS Experience Award 10 years:

• The concept with the biggest impact over the 10 years of HAS Food Experience: Boon Food Concepts by Michael Luesink