3rd Regional Stakeholder Group Meeting of the Interreg Europe FISSH Project – Food Industry and Sustainability

On Thursday, 4 September 2025, the 3rd Regional Stakeholder Group Meeting of the Interreg Europe FISSH project – Food Industry SMEs Sustainability Support and Help – took place at OK!Thess (Thessaloniki). The event was organized by ANATOLIKI S.A., Lead Partner of the project, with the support of the Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia, project partner, and the Region of Central Macedonia, which participates as the Associated Policy Authority.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Region of Central Macedonia, the Ministry of Interior – Sector of Macedonia–Thrace, the Agrotechnology Export Cluster, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki – KEAGRO, and the company My Company Projects.

The event opened with welcome addresses by Ms. Vasso Papadopoulou, General Director of ANATOLIKI S.A., and Ms. Chrysanthi Kissini, Director of the Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia, who highlighted the importance of the project in strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of food SMEs in the Region of Central Macedonia.

Ms. Ioanna Kouti (ANATOLIKI S.A.), Project Manager of FISSH, presented the project’s progress to date, while Ms. Stella Triantafyllidou (Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia) showcased good practices from partner countries (Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Finland).

Following the presentation of the Food Pilot good practice in Ghent (Belgium), Mr. Theodoros Tsamourtzis, representative of the Agrotechnology Export Cluster, and Ms. Ourania Menkisoglou, representative of AUTh – KEAGRO, both of whom had already visited the facility, shared that they are already collaborating on the idea of creating a similar installation.

Next, Ms. Kyriaki Kissa (Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia) gave a presentation on the expected improvement of the policy instrument through the “Central Macedonia” Programme 2021–2027 and the funding opportunities for new projects. Two new funding actions were introduced – “Starting Point for Innovation & Extroversion in Central Macedonia” and “Key to Progress: Innovation, Extroversion and Sustainable Development in Central Macedonia” – targeting new or start-up businesses. It was emphasized that both actions are innovative due to the simplicity of the proposal submission process for companies, without time-consuming procedures.

Ms. Maria Magrioti (ANATOLIKI S.A.) introduced the 2nd thematic area of the project, Sustainable Food Production and the Value Chain of Food SMEs’ Products, while Ms. Ioanna Kouti provided an analysis of the current situation in the Region of Central Macedonia on this topic.

Participants had the opportunity to exchange views and propose good practices on the themes Sustainability of the Food Production Process and Product Value Chain and Marketing and Consumer Perspectives on Sustainable Food Products. They pointed out several challenges related to the expected improvement of the policy instrument, such as the Region’s lagging performance in measurement indicators, differing stakeholder agendas, and bureaucracy. Part of the discussion also focused on food waste, with a shared conclusion that addressing the issue requires educating citizens from an early age, as well as ensuring a clear understanding of food labeling. Finally, participants stressed the impact of the climate crisis on the stability, quantity, and quality of raw materials, which directly affects food production.

The meeting contributed to strengthening local stakeholders by providing valuable knowledge and tools for designing policies that enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of food SMEs, while also underlining the importance of European cooperation as a driving force for the transition of the agri-food sector towards a more sustainable future.

The FISSH project is co-financed by the INTERREG Europe programme, with a total budget of €1,358,664. Its duration is 48 months, until 31/03/2028. The partnership includes: