In their opening speeches, Dr. Malte Heyne, Chief Executive Officer of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, and Katharina Fegebank, Second Mayor of the hanseatic city, set the mood for the event. Ms. Fegebank pointed out that work is currently underway to establish a cluster for food, like those already existing for other industries in Hamburg.
A dominant theme was sustainability in its various facets. On the product side, vegan alternatives stood out, which are becoming increasingly similar to their animal models in terms of appearance and, above all, taste. Supply shortages and high food price inflation were identified as the biggest current challenges for food startups.
