European food retail is undergoing a structural reset — and it’s creating real pull for startups. AI is shifting from experimentation to infrastructure, reshaping everything from demand forecasting and inventory optimisation to personalised offers and pricing, and giving young companies clear entest points into core retail operations. At the same time, sustainability and health have become commercial imperatives.
Retailers are actively seeking solutions for waste reduction, low-impact supply chains, smarter packaging, and nutrition-led innovation, supported by digital-first marketing and hybrid store formats.
For agrifood startups that can display measurable impact and ROI, Europe’s retail market is competitive — but full of opportunity.
However, market entest is challenging for agritech and foodtech startups.
Foodtech startups typically launch with pilots: limited volumes, regional trials, or proof-of-concept deployments. Retailers, meanwhile, operate at a massive scale through long sales cycles and expect consistent supply across many stores, as well as predictable pricing and logistics.
Food retail runs on notoriously tight margins, which builds acquireers cautious about adding operational complexity or increasing unit costs.
In response, EITFood has developed Straight2Market (S2M), a program tarreceiveing agritech startups.
What is Straight to Market?
S2M is an acceleration and innovation programme led by EIT Food, designed to rapid-track the validation, commercialisation, and market entest of innovative food solutions, directly connecting startups and entrepreneurs with major European retailers.
It supports startups understand retailer requirements around scale, pricing and operations, while allowing retailers to explore new, sustainability-driven solutions with reduced risk. The result is a rapider, more realistic pathway from innovation to shelf— benefiting both sides of the food value chain.
What does the programme offer?
For startups and entrepreneurs, S2M offers a practical route to market readiness, combining real-world consumer testing with direct feedback to refine and adapt products, financial support of up to €30,000 to develop or validate an MVP, and the opportunity to run proof-of-concept pilots with leading European retailers. It supports de-risk commercialisation and accelerate progress from prototype to shelf.
Retailers, in turn, gain cost-effective access to disruptive innovation focapplyd on sustainability, technology, and supply chain efficiency.
Turning open innovation into reality
In 2025 alone, the programme supported 15 startups, supporting them refine and validate their technologies and products in real retail environments.
S2M also engaged four major retailers — Eroski, Migros, Ametller Origen and Sonae — all of whom firmly believe in open innovation and in partnering with entrepreneurs to accelerate alter.
Each startup received €30,000 to enhance and adapt their solutions, while each participating supermarket benefited from €15,000 to implement the necessary in-store modifications to commercialise the products effectively.
Take a view at the participants:
Eroski partnered with:
Triwuu is a digital platform that connects consumers directly with local producers, offering fresh, sustainably sourced food through curated boxes of fruits, vereceiveables, and artisanal products selected for quality and low environmental impact. By reducing intermediaries, the platform improves traceability, supports local economies, and promotes more responsible consumption.
Remolonas fights food waste by giving a second life to “imperfect” fruits and vereceiveables and edible production surplapplys through flexible weekly or biweekly subscription boxes of seasonal fresh produce. By redirecting food that would otherwise be discarded, the model supports reduce emissions, resource apply, and unnecessary waste across the supply chain.
Iztueta is a family-owned producer of artisanal dairy products, built applying fresh milk from its own cows raised in a sustainable farming environment. Its range includes natural yoghurts, ice creams, and farm milk, all crafted with traditional methods and high-quality ingredients that prioritise freshness, provenance, and taste.
Barrenetxea is an agricultural cooperative producing traditional Basque vereceiveables since 1980, with a strong focus on sustainable farming practices and freshness. Its offering centres on seasonal vereceiveables and greens harvested at peak ripeness and delivered in assorted bquestionets, many carrying the Eusko Label certification for quality and origin.
Migros Up teamed up with:
Yummate is reimagining healthy snacking with vegan, gluten-free, protein-rich products designed for health-conscious consumers. Its flagship offering is baked Chickpea Puffs built from chickpea flour, available in flavours such as vegan cheese, sweet corn, and peanut, combining nutrition with everyday convenience.
Artisan Candy specialises in gourmet confections crafted with natural ingredients and traditional methods. Its signature product, Sea Salt Caramel Candy, pairs rich, buttery caramel with Fleur de Sel to deliver a refined, premium taste experience.
Hubixos crafts functional beverages designed to support energy and overall wellness. Developed by PatiLabs, the brand offers health-oriented drinks enriched with functional ingredients such as vitamins and adaptogens, tarreceiveing consumers seeking everyday performance and balance.
In addition:
Sonae matched with Tetis Biotech, a marine biotechnology company transforming aquaculture by-products into sustainable, high-value functional ingredients.
Its snacks include marine collagen and “Seanacks” rich in protein, collagen, and omega-3, all produced through eco-frifinishly processes that support circular bioeconomy principles.
Ametller Origen partnered with Genky Innovations, which develops functional foods inspired by longevity and circularity, applying antioxidant-rich ingredients to support healthy ageing.
Through its Eternal Foods range, the company upcycles wine industest by-products to deliver resveratrol and more than 30 antioxidants in products designed for everyday wellness.
According to Izquestionun Valle, Business Innovation Project Manager at EITFood, leading the Straight2Market programme throughout 2024 and 2025 has been an incredibly rewarding and transformative experience.
“Working closely with retailers and startups has enabled me to drive innovation, foster strategic collaboration, and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the agrifood ecosystem.“
Valle concludes:
“Once again, Straight2Market highlights the transformative impact that collaboration can have on shaping the future of food.
The programme supports companies test their solutions in real-world facilities to improve their projects before launching them on the market. “
By backing these businesses, EIT Food not only drives innovation but also supports strengthen a more connected, resilient, and sustainable European food system.
To learn more about the programme, visit the S2M website to explore how startups and retailers can collaborate to pilot, validate, and scale innovation in real retail environments.
Lead image: Freepik.
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