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partners

Partners

Panepistimio Thessalias

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Thessaly (UTH) is a well-known institute for higher education in Greece. ​The Networks and Telecommunications laboratory focuses its activities in the areas of wireless networks, mobile communications, security of telecommunications and applications and services. ​The lab members’ research profiles show a complementary background expertise in different areas in networking, including wireless networks and protocols, signal processing, distributed computing, sensors, video and media transmission, network security and energy-efficient networking. ​

Greece
Role in the project

UTH is the ALLIANCE Project Coordinator. UTH is also the Leader of WP1 (Project & Technical Management), leader of WP2 (Food Traceability), and the leader for Task T3.5 in WP3 (Food Safety and Authenticity).

Netcompany-Intrasoft Sa

Netcompany-Intrasoft (INTRA) is a leading European IT Solutions and Services Group with strong international presence and expertise, offering innovative and added-value solutions of the highest quality to a wide range of international and national public and private organizations. As of November 2021, INTRA became a member of the Netcompany Group, a Denmark located IT company founded in 2000. Netcompany is the fastest growing and most successful IT services company in the Nordics, owning vast technology experience and deep industry-specific knowledge, creating innovative solutions tailored to meet business goals.

Luxembourg
Role in the project

INTRA has a strong R&I record in many domains with a strong focus on applying emerging technologies such as Big Data processing, Artificial intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), distributed ledger technologies, IoT, etc. which have a pivotal role for the development of ALLIANCE solutions. INTRA is leader of Tasks T1.3 in WP1 (Project and Technical Management), T2.4 in WP2 (Food Traceability), T3.5 in WP3 (Food Safety and Traceability) and T5.4 in WP5 (Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation of Results), also acting as the quality manager of the ALLIANCE project.

Biocos Ike

BioCoS Ike (BIOC) is a B2B Biotechnology and Bioinformatics company based in Greece. BIOC provides end-to-end DNA-based authentication and traceability solutions in the food, cosmetics and supplements industry, with emphasis given on the olive oil.

Greece
Role in the project

In ALLIANCE, BIOC acts as a technology provider expanding its DNA-based traceability system in organic PDO/PGI EVOO of olive cultivars from Umbrian groves. Novel biomarkers will be discovered, technologies such as sequencing and bioinformatics will be employed, with the aim to create a DNA-based authentication system that runs with ML/AI. BIOC will be leader of task T3.2 in WP3 (Food Safety and Authenticity) and task T4.2 in WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaigns).

The Lisbon Council For Economic Competitiveness Asbl

The Lisbon Council for Economic Competitiveness and Social Renewal asbl (LC) is a Brussels-based think tank and policy network.

Established in 2003 in Belgium as a non-profit, non-partisan association, the group is dedicated to making a positive contribution through cutting-edge research and by engaging political leaders and the public at large in a constructive exchange about the economic and social challenges of the 21st century.

Belgium
Role in the project

LC is the Leader of WP5 (Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation of Results) and acts as Dissemination Manager, being responsible for all dissemination and communication actions of ALLIANCE, including contact with stakeholders and synergies with other projects and initiatives.

Migros Ticaret Anonim Sirketi

Migros Ticaret A.Ş. (MIGROS) is one of the supermarket chains in Turkey. The foundations of MIGROS were laid in 1954, with the decision taken by the Istanbul Municipality, with the establishment in Turkey of the MIGROS organization. Celebrating its 66th operational year in Turkey’s food retailing industry and with a presence in all 81 of the country’s provinces, together via MIGROS supermarkets, Macrocenter Stores, international Ramstore shopping centers, online and mobile shopping, wholesale stores, and mobile sales units, MIGROS serves an estimated 160 million customers. Moving forward at the leading edge of change in the country’s organized food retailing sector, MIGROS continues to come forth with “the firsts” that radically transform retailing attitudes and approaches.

Türkiye
Role in the project

MIGROS will be involved in the demonstration of different use cases.

Sveuciliste U Zagrebu Agronomski Fakultet

The Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb (FAZ) is the leading higher education and science institution in the field of agriculture and related sciences in the Republic of Croatia. The FAZ organization is based on 28 departments with different research interests. In ALLIANCE FAZ will be involve researchers from the Department of Marketing in Agriculture (DAM).

Croatia
Role in the project

DAM is a leading scientific research unit dealing with the market and marketing of agri-food products in Croatia. The scientific activity of the Department includes the following areas: consumer preferences and behavior, methodological research in the field of consumer behavior, food trends, traditional agricultural products, geographical indications, supply chains in agribusiness, regional and rural development and rural tourism.
DAM will be responsible for market research in order to determined consumer intention towards traceable and authenticated PGI Like Potato.

Centre International De Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Mediterraneennes

The CIHEAM Montpellier is one of four institutes of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1962.

Thanks to their training, research and development activities, and through the human and social sciences, CIHEAM explains the major transformations and inform public decision-making on three essential themes:

-The sustainability and resilience of Mediterranean agro-ecosystems
-The integration of local agri-food chains into global value chains
-The governance of rural territories conceived as a concerted and reasoned development of the rural space.

France
Role in the project

CIHEAM is the leader of Tasks T2.1 in WP2 (Food Traceability), of Tasks T3.1 and T3.6 in WP3 (Food Safety and Authenticity), of Tasks T4.4, T4.9, T4.10 in WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaigns) and Tasks 5.1 and 5.2 in WP5 (Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation of Results). CIHEAM will monitor and elaborate a value chain analysis in the case study of honey as well as the impacts and diffusion conditions of the innovation within this value chain. In addition, they will responsible to develop solutions for the adoption of optimised and innovative organisational models based on the innovative traceability system for increasing profitability, organisational viability, social acceptability as well as resilience and environmental sustainability of participating farming systems. 

Alma Mater Studiorum - Universita Di Bologna

The University of Bologna (UNIBO) is the oldest university in the Western world, founded in 1088. UNIBO is today the second largest university in Italy with 11 Schools, 33 Departments and about 87.000 students and is also one of the most important institutions of higher education across Europe, making it the most internationalised of all Italian Universities. Among its missions, UNIBO invests in a multidisciplinary cross-cultural approach and in the inseparable connection between research and teaching.  

Italy
Role in the project

UNIBO is the leader of WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaign) and of task T4.9, and will be also leading in task T3.6 in WP3 (Food Safety and Authenticity).

Federbio Servizi Srl

The mission of FederBio Servizi (FBS) is to contribute to cultural, social, technical and economic growth of all operators along the organic and biodynamic supply chain, providing a 360 degree consultancy for: basic and advanced training courses, organic start-ups, business management, communication and promotion, business intelligence approaches, internationalisation strategies and research, experimentation and innovation projects.

Italy
Role in the project

FBS will contribute to the targeted research activities towards Food Safety, Authenticity and Traceability in WP2 and WP3. Besides, FBS will work on the demonstrator "Rapid Pesticide Fingerprinting for Organic Pasta" together with Alce Nero, in order to identify the EU crossregional food supply chain barriers and drivers towards combating and preventing food fraud of quality-labelled food products. FBS will contribute also to project dissemination, communication and exploitation of results.

Consejo Regulador Igp Faba Asturiana

Consejo Regulador Igp Faba Asturiana (IGPFA) is the body in charge of defending the product protected by the PGI, the application of its regulations and the promotion and control of protected dry beans. Its origins go back to 1989 and it was officially launched in 1990. It is formed by representatives from producers (farmers), packers and the public administration. Currently 147 producers and 24 packaging firms take part in the PGI. 
 

Spain
Role in the project

IGPFA will lead the demonstration of the NIR and hyperspectral technologies in PGI fields and also will participate as end-user in the development of these technologies.

Asociacion De Investigacion De Industrias Carnicas Del Principado De Asturias

Asociacion De Investigacion De Industrias Carnicas Del Principado De Asturias (ASINCAR) is an Agrifood Technology Centre as well as a Business Cluster (Gold label of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative) formed by more than 95 companies (>95% SMEs) coming from the whole value chain. Their main mission is to contribute to the competitiveness and sustainability of the Agrifood companies, and their adaptation to future market scenarios, through innovation, cooperation, knowledge and technology transfer as well as training. The main ASINCAR activity areas cover: Research, Development and Innovation projects; Technical and technological consulting; Laboratory for full Food Analysis; Vocational training

Spain
Role in the project

ASINCAR is the leader of WP3 (Food Safety and Authenticity) and of task T3.3, T4.5 in WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaigns). ASINCAR will develop several algorithms during ALLIANCE that could be exploited individually or as a whole control tool for the Faba bean market.

Alce Nero Spa

Alce Nero S.p.A. (ALCE) are organic farmers and processors who have been working since 1978 to produce delicious food, the result of farming practices that respect the land and its fertility.
 They bring together more than 1,000 farmers in Italy and over 10,000 small family-run farms in Central and South America.

For more than 40 years ALCE have been choosing organic farming, nurturing the delicate balance between our Plant and its Inhabitants: this is why they have decided to produce foods which are good for both. Products made from ingredients grown without the use of synthetic chemicals, thanks to state-of-the-art agronomic capacities, with utmost respect for the land and the people who cultivate it. Products processed with techniques which protect and exalt the characteristics of their ingredients, also thanks to ingredient lists which are always short and simple, free from preservatives and additives.

ALCE propose simple, everyday foods, which have not forgotten about flavour, the pleasure of gathering around the table and sharing. Today ALCE has about 400 products: pasta, rice, tomato purée and pulp, vegetables, legumes and puréed soups, biscuits and fruit juices, preserves and honey, plant-based beverages and a range of baby foods for infants. Additionally there is the range of fresh produce, including, fruit, vegetables, and soups, along with the frozen range, which includes pizza, crepes, vegetables and others. When possible, ALCE products contain Fairtrade ingredients, sourced from Latin America: coffee, chocolate, cocoa, brown sugar, Basmati rice and tea.

Italy
Role in the project

ALCE will be leader of Task T4.7 in WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaigns). Their organic pasta will be used to detect pesticide traces in mislabeled organic Pasta products through assessment of chemical residues.

Diamantis Masoutis Ae Super Market

In 1976 the founder, Mr. Diamantis Masoutis, opened the first store in the chain at K. Krystalli Street in the heart of Thessaloniki. Today, Diamantis Masoutis S.A. (MASOU) possesses the largest network of stores in Northern Greece and is a leader in the retail sector, while at a Greece-wide level the company is amongst the four largest chains. With over 9.000 employees, 369 stores, 330 supermarkets, 22 wholesale Cash & Carry outlets, a Logistics Centre, at Kavalari, MASOU covers all the prefectures of Makedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Epirus, Fthiotida, Thesprotia, Aitoloakarnania, Attiki as well as the islands of Limnos, Lesvos, Chios and Andros. 

Greece
Role in the project

As a retailer, MASOU will help in developing real-life demonstrations for validating the ALLIANCE solutions and methodologies.

Larisa's Dairy Industry S.a. Olympos

Everything started in the ‘50s, when the Sarantis family gradually turned a small village dairy unit into the Leading Feta Cheese producer in Greece. Throughout the years, Larisa's Dairy Industry S.a. Olympos (OLYMPOS) managed to have presence in 47 countries;, 11 commercial subsidiaries in Europe and 8 production plants. OLYMPOS is the first company to be awarded the Hellenic Trademark, an initiative of the Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Maritime & Tourism, which is awarded to businesses that produce products in Greece, only from Greek raw materials. OLYMPOS is dedicated to offering top quality products that contribute to the modern man’s healthy and balanced diet.
 

Greece
Role in the project

OLYMPOS is the leader of T4.3 in WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaigns). As one of the biggest dairy firms in Greece and one of the main producers of Feta cheese will provide all the necessary primary information and data for the relative use case, as well as it will test and demonstrate the Blockchain technology being developed through this project. There will also active participation in all relevant dissemination and exploitation activities.

Wisefour Innovation And Development Organisation Ltd

Wisefour Innovation And Development Organisation (WISE4) is a research, innovation and technology boutique company based in Nicosia, Cyprus. WISE4 has 13 years of experience in providing top-notch services and solutions to international Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), industrial leaders, universities, SMEs and start-ups all over Europe.  Technology applications in conjunction with business modeling, innovation management, ethics, legal and compliance as well as intellectual property rights management are sectors in which WISE4 have extensive expertise. 

Cyprus
Role in the project

WISE4 is leader of T1.5 in WP1(Project and Technical Management). WISE4 is offering legal and ethical monitoring services and monitors the compliance of project’s activities in respect to ethics, legal, privacy and data protection norms (including GDPR). It will organise the use cases to combat unfair and unethical labour and pricing through the use of Blockchain in food chains.
 

Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori Regionale Umbria

Italian Confederation of Farmers of Umbria (CIAUM), established in 1977, is an organization independent of political parties engaged in developing agriculture and rights of farmers in the society. It is a part of the national organization based in Rome, with more than 880,000 members at national level, a representative office in Brussels, in Toronto, in Tirana and in Paraguay. CIAUM has a membership of about 14,000 members, 18 offices in the main towns and a central regional office in Perugia. 

Italy
Role in the project

CIAUM, farmers’ association, playing a major role in transferring innovations towards producers. An innovative method to characterize origin and varietal composition of EVOOs will be applied by means of an effective and innovative DNA testing. CIAUM will participate and demonstrate the Olive oil usage scenario.

Biotechnicon poduzetnički centar d.o.o.

Biotechnicon poduzetnički centar d.o.o. (BIOT) is a Croatian product certification body in organic agriculture and geographical indications (PDO, PGI) schemes, authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture and accredited against the ISO 17065 standard. BIOT's inspection activities relate to the monitoring of the production, processing and preparation of organic food and PDO/PGI products. These activities involve field (on-site) inspections, documentation checks, and verification of laboratory reports for compliance with production and other parameters required by regulations, registered specifications, and other normative documents. The aim of these procedures is to establish conformity and issue a document (certificate) confirming the compliance of products with the the controlled quality and status.

Croatia
Role in the project

BIOT is responsible for the improvement of the traceability monitoring system of the PGI Lika potatoes.

Consejería de Medio Rural y Cohesión Territorial del Principado de Asturias

Consejería de Medio Rural y Cohesión Territorial del Principado de Asturias (CMAST) as regional ministry assumes competences in the following fields: agrifood industry and rural development; agricultural, forestry and livestock resources; sea fishing; biodiversity and protection of natural spaces and wild spaces; road and port infrastructures, transport, connectivity and mobility, spatial planning and urban planning. CMAST as regional ministry develops the periodical public controls on foods that are in the market (shelves) and/or through the different stages of the value chain, belonging to PGI/PDO, BIO standards or not. In the case that something is wrong, this is the body responsible to start the corresponding penalty procedure. 

Spain
Role in the project

CMAST is an Associated partner. Their operation will be benefited by the implementation of the novel authenticity and traceability tools developed in the project, with intensive focus on the beans use case (in which they will work as co-design and validators); CMAST is the public body involve in the management team of the different regional PGI/PDO and BIO Regulatory Councils. Moreover, they coordinate their activity at regional level and provide a relevant yearly financial support to keep their control, audit and inspection activity.

European Food Information Resource Aisbl

European Food Information Resource Aisbl (EUROFIR), an international, member-based, non-profit Association under Belgian law, was set up in 2009 to ensure sustained advocacy for food information in Europe. Its purpose is to develop, publish and exploit food composition information, and promote international cooperation and harmonisation of standards to improve data quality, storage and access. EUROFIR draws together the best available food information globally from 26 compiler organisations in Europe, USA and Canada (FoodEXplorer) as well as validated information about bioactive compounds (eBASIS).

Belgium
Role in the project

EUROFIR will contribute to pilot demonstration and validation campaigns, specifically in the design and delivery of uses cases (WP4) and exploitation of key results through elaboration of innovation management, market analysis, and commercial roadmaps as well as helping more generally with dissemination and communication activities (WP5). 

Mena Group

Mena Group (MENA) is a consulting company working in the field of developing of specific products for demanding food markets, (e.g. GI products, short supply value chains development, participatory guarantee systems, etc.), supporting producer groups, organisations and communities throughout the process of specific product definition (GI products, label origin, regional marks, etc.), facilitating development verification/certification systems and reaching valorisation of the products within the groups and at the market. A highly participatory and multi-stakeholders approach is applied in all activities, with strong emphasis on equality, diversity and sustainability.

Serbia
Role in the project

MENA will be facilitating the process within Serbian case, including multi-stakeholders processes and will work on different analysis of the raspberry production, marketing and anti-fraud system improvements.

Institute For Food Technology Of Novi Sad

Institute of Food Technology in Novi Sad (FINS) is a leading institute in Serbia with extensive expertise and experience in applying the latest scientific achievements in research related to food and feed technology. In addition to an experienced team of ­researchers ­enhanced with young associates, Institute is equipped with ­modern instruments that guarantee high quality results and ­products.

Serbia
Role in the project

FINS is leader of task T3.4 in WP3 (Food Safety and Authenticity). Their role will be to support the process of developing the specific sensory panel for Arilje Raspberry, involved in knowledge and experience exchange and transfer.

Udruga Proizvodaca Lickog Krumpira

Udruga Proizvodaca Lickog Krumpira (Lika potato producers association) (UPLK) registrated Lički krumpir as protected geographical indication 2015. UPLK producers association preserves the designation of geographical origin for Lika potatoes; prevents misuse of the name Lički krumpir; increases the number of farmers who participate in the system of quality and ecologically acceptable production of Lika potatoes; improves knowledge and skills of farmers related to agricultural production with an emphasis on the production of Lika potatoes; promotes the consumption and reputation of products from the system quality with an emphasis on Lika potatoes; promotes and protects common professional interests of members with an emphasis on the production of Lika potatoes; improves legislative, institutional, financial and strategic framework for the growth and development of agricultural production.

HR
Role in the project

UPLK will be responsible for the demonstration of the different use cases.

Association of Producers of Products with Geographical Indication of Serbia "Original Srbija"

OriGInal Serbia Association (ORIG) was founded in 2015 with the goals to bring together individuals, cooperatives and associations of producers of geographical indication (GI) products of Serbia. Members of the ORIG are individuals and associations that have certified their products with a geographical indication or are in the process of certification. ORIG is an umbrella platform for cooperation, joint promotion of GI products, improvement of the position, working conditions of producers and thus preservation and revival of the Serbian village.

Serbia
Role in the project

ORIG will be leader of task T4.8 in WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaigns) and dissemination activities. Original Serbia, together with its members, will analyse the current traceability systems and will co-develop the data base (with the Certification Body) to prevent fraud for GI product/s. They will be facilitating producer participation through the process, together with other relevant stakeholders. Knowledge transfer and exchange of experiences with other case studies will be part of their role too (producers of cheese, honey, and vegetables.)

The World Bee Project Cic

Using a data-based research approach, The World Bee Project Cic (WBP) links bee, biodiversity and ecosystem health with beekeeper and smallholder farmer livelihoods. WBP co-create strategies and programmes and design and adaptively co-implement projects in partnership with local communities. Harnessing the power of bee-derived intelligence for solutions to wider issues of biodiversity, climate change, food security and human well-being WBP focuses on the interconnections between bees and people in the context of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

United Kingdom
Role in the project

Leader of task T4.4 in WP4 (Pilot Demonstration and Validation Campaigns), WBP will undertake the organization of the corresponding use case related with honey. ALLIANCE will extend the WBP's BeeMark eco-label to create a trusted digital honey label, which helps validate honey origin and purity, whilst also promoting bee welfare and bio-diversity. The label will help protect consumers, producers and pollinators as well as help to encourage more sustainable farming practices. Bee welfare will be monitored using intelligent in-hive sensors provided by WBP's partners, which are already in use in other projects. 
 

Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority

The Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority (LGL) is Bavaria’s central authority for health, food safety, veterinary medicine, occupational safety and product safety. The LGL conducts application-oriented research and provides expert advice and support for the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care.

Germany
Role in the project

In ALLIANCE, LGL will be involved in the demonstration, certification, policy making activities and lessons learnt. LGL will conduct molecular diagnostics for olive oil.