Breakout Session 1
Connecting Countryside and Cities

Session Themes 

Day 1 – Monday, 20 October | 14:30–16:15 
Building bridges towards more plant-based foods: What compromises are needed? 

Day 2 – Tuesday, 21 October | 14:05-15:30 
Creating strong value chains: Linking farmers, industry and cities 

Moderator

Marie-Louise Boisen Lendal, CEO of Think Tank Frej & Chair of the Danish Government’s Plant-Based Food Grant 

Purpose 

The session aims to explore how stakeholders with different perspectives can collaborate more effectively and build trust across the plant-based food sector. It will highlight opportunities and barriers for cross-sector engagement, share best practices and discuss how investment and policy solutions can support stronger value chains. 

Key Questions 

  • How can stakeholders with differing views collaborate effectively? 

  • Which stakeholders should engage in more dialogue with each other? 

  • What cultural, political, or commercial barriers exist? 

  • What compromises are needed to build trust? 

  • How can value chains be strengthened via policy or financing?

Day 1 – Speakers and Presentations: 

Duarte Mira, Confederação dos Agricultores de Portugal:
Collaboration with ProVeg Portugal 

Joana Oliveira, ProVeg Portugal:
Collaboration with Portuguese Farmers’ Association 

Paul Holmbeck, IFOAM:
Common interests of organic agriculture and plant-based foods

Luigi Scordamaglia, Eat Europe:
Opportunities and barriers for plant-based development

Day 2 – Speakers and Presentations: 

Claus Krogh, Lidl:
Pulse Partnership and buying pulses from local farmers 

Betina Bergman, City of Copenhagen:
Supporting plant-based markets via public procurement 

(tbc)
Building plant-based value chains across Europe

Format

The presentations are followed by a panel debate with the speakers after which participants are engaged in a workshop, where their insights and perspectives are shared.

What Participants Will Gain & Learn 

  • Practical examples of collaboration between farmers, NGOs, and businesses 

  • Principles for building trust and negotiating compromises 

  • Strategies to strengthen plant-based value chains 

  • Insights to contribute to a European plant-based inspiration catalogue 

  • Identification of concrete stakeholders to engage with after the summit