With KISMET, we change our destiny and transform the current food systems in cities and regions around the Baltic Sea to sustainability.

The project tackles the challenge that local and regional authorities often lack capacity, require new impulses or need innovative solutions for realising more circular and sustainable food environments. KISMET provides them with concrete instruments and tools for working better with governance, demand and production sides.

Project activities and the solution

The project’s overall solution is the “Enabling Programme for Sustainable Food Environments”, developed by the 13 partner organisations from seven Baltic Sea Region countries. The programme entails a mix of concrete tools for making local food environments more sustainable.

KISMET pilots the solution in 8 local cases, and South Savo’s pilots will take place in Savonlinna during 2024. After piloting, the Enabling Programme is transferred to further target groups via friendship cities for jointly implementing and rolling out the solution.

At the end of the project, the local food environment of each partner and their friendship city will be better equipped to eventually change consumer behaviour for good, create circular business opportunities and make food chains and production more regional so that societies can make a big step towards climate neutrality.

Picture: Nathan Dumlao

More information

Project Manager
Piia Mikonsaari
piia.mikonsaari@xamk.fi
tel. +358 50 4108 048

Privacy statement of the project

Official project website,
Interreg Baltic Sea Region

Events

Coffee with KISMET #11

2024

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Coffee with KISMET #10

2.5.2024

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Coffee with KISMET #9

25.4.2024
👋 Welcome to the Food Harbour in Hamburg! 👋
Serving as an innovation hub for the food industry, the Food Harbour works on changing consumer needs and the industry's sustainability goals.
🚀 The hub provides support and expertise for companies in developing new concepts and products through its full-service agency. Start-ups in the food and food tech sector benefit from the comprehensive knowledge of partners through an accelerator program. The Food Harbour offers individual support to each founding team, tailored to their current challenges, to quickly bring their innovations to market.
🤝 Recognizing the importance of collaboration in driving innovation, the hub organizes regular events on the creative campus. These events facilitate discussions and bring together companies of all sizes, along with representatives from politics and science, to strengthen the food ecosystem in Hamburg.
📅 Interested to know more? Join us for the Coffee with KISMET ☕, where co-founder Stefanie Ostendorf will share more about Food Harbour’s good practices. Don't miss out!

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Coffee with KISMET #8

28.3.2024

From an enthusiastic group of green lifestyle activists to the first steps of establishing the first bioregion in the Baltic states. How?

Find out in the Coffee with KISMET event on the 28th of March, where we will be introduced to the story about the development of bioregion in Gauja National Park, Latvia.
In short, we will get first-hand experience in establishing the NGO "Greenfest", organizing local bio food markets, discussion events about sustainability, art festivals, and starting the idea about the bioregion, which has led to the signed Memorandum of Goodwill on the establishment of the first bioregion in the Baltics in the territory of the Gauja National Park.
Join us and dive deeper into the topic with Lāsma Ozola, Board member at NGO "Greenfest" and zero waste community manager at the Cesis Municipality.

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Coffee with KISMET #7

14.3.2024

If you love everything to do with tomatoes – we have an offer for you!

Join us for the Coffee with KISMET event on the 14th of March and get to know more about how these tasty vegetables are grown by NAMS. Sustainably grown in Pori 🇫🇮, tomatoes are hand-picked only when they’re fully ripe to ensure the best taste and quality. Interested? Join us for a cup of coffee with the Marketing Director of Agrifutura Tomaatit Oy’s NAMS Jaakko Aro and find out everything from sustainable production and technology to packaging and supply chain. Keen to know more before we meet? Visit NAMS website: https://www.nams.fi/

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Coffee with KISMET #6

29.2.2024

What are your organization’s sustainability focus and needs? Perhaps we have a tested tool for you to be inspired by!

We will get to know the expanded Sustainable Public Meal Toolkit and some of the tools offered to increase sustainability and enhance crisis preparedness. Iida Alasentie from the University of Helsinki, Finland will share insights into the StarKIT+ project outcomes together with Sara Seing, Head of the Diet Unit in Södertälje municipality, Sweden.

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Savonlinnan Ruoka Forum: Millä Eväillä Tulevaisuuteen?

14.2.2024 klo 13-17

Tervetuloa Savonlinnan Ruoka Forum: Millä Eväillä Tulevaisuuteen -tapahtumaan, joka kuljettaa sinut makujen täyteiselle polulle kohti tulevaisuutta ystävänpäivänä 14.2.2024! Uppoudu päivään täynnä inspiraatiota, verkostoitumista ja herkullisia makuelämyksiä. Tapahtuma on suunnattu kaikille Savonlinnan alueen ruokaketjun toimijoille.

Kuva: Savonlinnan kaupunki

Lue lisää

Coffee with KISMET #5

1.2.2024

Based on years of practice there are now more than 60 Bio districts in Europe and a growing network globally. Working with local food for local markets, short value chains, human relations, lifestyle, and respect for nature we will have a chance to explore the Guidelines and Toolkit on how to start and manage a Bio district, a Monitoring Tool, and practical examples.

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Coffee with KISMET #4

25.1.2024

How do we bring healthy, locally-produced food to schools? This is the question that has been of key importance to many municipalities in the Baltic Sea Region.

Delve into the process of building collaboration between schools and farmers while actively engaging diverse stakeholders within the local community. Eglė Stonkė, a Managing Director of the Association "Klaipėda Region”, will share her experience of creating the From Farm to School -model in Klaipėda, Lithuania.

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Coffee with KISMET #3: Gastronomic Delights of the Saimaa Region in 2024

7.12.2023

Finland, the land of thousands of lakes, and its shining jewel, Lake Saimaa, will entice travelers in 2024, as the region has been awarded the prestigious title of European Region of Gastronomy. You'll get to hear how gastronomy and culture are celebrated with innovative experiences that combine food and culture and learn about the factors that have led Saimaa to this esteemed title.

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Coffee with KISMET #2: GYVI GALI

30.11.2023

Plant-rich foods - a trend shaping sustainable future? In this Coffee with KISMET event, you will have a chance to hear from an NGO „Gyvi gali”, based in Lithuania, which aims to make delicious, animal-friendly, sustainable, and healthy plant-based food accessible to everyone.

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Coffee with KISMET #1: Kauno Grūdai

26.10.2023

For the first Coffee with KISMET event we have invited guests from Lithuania – Kauno Grūdai, one of the largest food manufacturers in the country, counting more than 130 years of history and experience. The company has a significant presence not only in Lithuania but also in international markets.

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Pilots in South Savo

The pilots of the Enabling Programme will take place in Savonlinna during 2024. Stay tuned for more information!

Work Packages

WP 1 Preparing solutions
1.1 Prepare “participation, governance and integration modules”
1.2 Prepare “guidance for demand-side drivers”
1.3 Prepare a “roadmap for production side drivers”
1.4 Set the stage for the cases in the 8 local innovation partnerships
1.5 Prepare an evaluation concept for the combined “Enabling Programme”

WP 2 Piloting and evaluating solutions
2.1 Pilot the “participation, governance and integration modules”
2.2 Pilot the “guidance for demand-side drivers”
2.3 Pilot the “roadmap for production side drivers”
2.4 Transnational exchange and cross-fertilised learning
2.5 Evaluate and revise the Enabling Programme

WP 3 Transferring solutions
3.1 Organize outreach campaign to include friendhips cities – communicate and exploit results
3.2 Onboarding and introducing friendship cities
3.3 Friendship cities implement the solution supported by transnational activities
3.4 Develop a Durability Master Plan for the Enabling Programme

 

Facts

KISMET - Sustainable food environments

1 January 2023 – 31 December 2025

Project partners

Lead partner: City of Hamburg

Partners: Steinbeis Transfer GmbH, Södertälje municipality, Foodworks Association, Vidzeme Planning region, Vejle Municipality, Beras International Foundation, Tartu Biotechnology Park, ScanBalt, Public Institution Lithuanian Innovation Centre, Food Innovation Center, Prizztech Ltd.

Focus areas: Sustainable wellbeing

Budget

Total budget: € 3 627 012

XAMK part of the total budget: € 291 488

Financiers and main source of funding: Interreg Baltic Sea Region