In November 2025, the LIKE-A-PRO project partner Nursh hosted two capacity-building workshops designed to help food producers, ingredient suppliers, and retailers translate the potential of alternative proteins into practical, market-ready solutions.
The first workshop, held online on 21 November, brought together 38 participants from across Europe. A week later, 19 attendees joined the in-person session in Ghent, Belgium, to explore hands-on applications up close. Both events combined scientific insights, behavioural understanding, and practical exercises, including cooking demonstrations and co-creation sessions.
The workshops showed that evaluating alternative proteins goes beyond nutritional value. Functionality, process stability, cost efficiency, and scalability are equally important. Hybrid products were highlighted as a promising entry point to the European market, while consumer acceptance was shown to depend on factors such as processing, perceived risk, price, and context — not just ingredients. Behavioural nudges and clear value communication also emerged as key tools to support adoption.
According to Maxime Willems from Nursh:
“These workshops showed how powerful it is to combine scientific evidence, behavioural insights, and hands-on experimentation. When participants can cook, taste, and discuss real products, alternative proteins stop being abstract and start becoming viable solutions.”
Participants agreed, describing the sessions as engaging, inspiring, and directly applicable to their work. Many highlighted the cooking demonstrations, exposure to pilot products, and interactive discussions as especially valuable.
The insights gathered from the workshops will shape future LIKE-A-PRO activities such as upcoming tools, reports, and communication materials by aligning them with the real needs and bottlenecks identified by industry stakeholders. By equipping food system actors with practical knowledge, technical skills, and networking opportunities, the workshops have laid a strong foundation for accelerating the adoption of alternative proteins across Europe.
