From Student Research to Local Food Innovation in Wageningen
Wageningen has recently seen several initiatives that bring research, education, and local food systems together (from student projects on sustainable practices to the launch of a new regional bread roll made with locally sourced ingredients).
On 3 July 2025, students presented their research on best practices in short food supply chains. Their work explored ways to make local food systems more sustainable and resilient. The session included presentations, a webinar, and an infographic. They showed how young researchers are contributing to innovative solutions that connect producers and consumers more directly. Read the report they prepared here!
At the start of the academic year, on 3 September 2025, the EU4Advice project was presented at Wageningen’s market square, which turned into a lively space for conversations about regional food. Visitors, citizens, and students stopped by an information stand to discuss the value of local production and shorter supply chains. One of the highlights of the day was the launch of the “Gelderse Vallei roll,” a new sandwich made with regionally sourced ingredients. The roll served as a delicious example of how collaboration between local producers and institutions can make sustainable food visible and edible.
The story gained further attention in Resource, the magazine of Wageningen University & Research (WUR), which featured an article on 10 October 2025. Following the examples of Utrecht and Nijmegen, Wageningen now has its own locally inspired bread roll, available in three variants across campus cafeterias and restaurants. Researchers and students will also use it in studies on consumer behaviour and sustainable food systems.
“Our aim is to work with small-scale local partners,” says Marcha Sperna Weiland, contract manager at WUR. “Some producers can’t yet deliver the required quantities, but as the initiative grows, more local producers may join. ”The project’s concept builds on collaboration between campus caterers Compass Group, Vermaat, and Hutten, alongside MVO Nederland, Gelderse Vallei Hospital, the Food Valley Region partnership, and Ede Christian University of Applied Sciences. A key goal of the initiative is to shorten supply chains through collective procurement. Ingredients are sourced from producers by a single purchaser and delivered directly to caterers. “In future, we want to involve more producers and farmers,” says Sperna Weiland. “That will expand the assortment and strengthen nature-friendly agriculture.”
For researcher Marjolein Elings from WUR’s Agrosystems Research group, the project reflects the broader effort to strengthen regional food systems. “When we connect consumers and farmers and build strong local networks, we help create food systems that are both sustainable and resilient,” she says.
