LBTU and EIT Food Hub Latvia Participated in Riga Food 2025 with a Dynamic Program
The Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU), which also represents the EIT Food Hub in Latvia – Europe’s largest food innovation community – presented a diverse and engaging program at this year’s Riga Food exhibition, attracting students, entrepreneurs, and the broader community.
At the LBTU stand, visitors learned about the university’s opportunities for students, start-ups, and business partners. The spotlight was on innovative products from the LBTU Food Institute, which visitors could sample showcasing science and innovation in action.
In addition to activities at the stand, LBTU and EIT Food Hub Latvia organized a three-day series of discussions on current topics in the fields of food and innovation:
September 4 featured the discussion "Science and Innovation: Development of the Emergency Food Segment in Latvia!" with experts from LIAA, AS Roga-Agro, LBTU Food Institute, and the University of Latvia, moderated by Sandra Muižniece-Brasava. The main conclusions: emergency food is essential in Latvia, and science-driven innovation is crucial for resilience and competitiveness in the sector.
September 5 focused on coffee with the discussion "Does Coffee Change Us, or Do We Change Coffee?" featuring industry representatives of "Rocket Bean", "Andrito Coffee Roastery", "Kalve Coffee", and "Closer Coffee", moderated by Ilze Laukalēja-Broka (EIT Food Hub Latvia). Experts noted that coffee culture is now richer than ever—in science, knowledge, and community—as society embraces diverse flavour profiles and redefines how coffee should taste.
September 6 offered two lively discussions. “From Idea to Impact: How Thinking and Creating Shape the Future of Food” brought together speakers from "GreenTech Cluster", "BirgerMind", LBTU, and "Aloja Starkelsen", highlighting that innovation begins with dialogue and openness. Later, the discussion "Women in Food Innovation: Stories of Inspiration" featured Zanda Ozola (Pupuchi) and Anna Gabuniya ("L-Blend"), confirming that innovation is open to everyone—regardless of age or gender—when driven by passion, courage, and determination.
The LBTU team had the honor of closing Riga Food on the main stage with the State Research Program’s mini-seminar "High Added Value and Sustainable Circular Solutions for the Food Processing Industry." Scientists from LBTU and the Institute of Horticulture shared their expertise, stressing that added value and sustainable circular solutions are key to the future of the food sector.
As emphasized by LBTU Food Institute Professor and Head of the Technology and Knowledge Transfer Center (TEPEK), Sandra Muižniece-Brasava, who also organized the LBTU/EIT Food Hub Latvia stand at the exhibition: "With this year’s program, LBTU and EIT Food Hub Latvia demonstrated that the Zemgale region is a dynamic center of international food innovation and knowledge, inspiring new solutions and opening doors for students, entrepreneurs, and the broader community."
