The Agri-Food industry is the largest manufacturing sector in Europe, with more than 16 million people employed in almost 600,000 firms, 99.4% of which are SMEs. Thus, SMEs are the backbone of the Agri-Food ecosystem. 99% of food and drink enterprises are SMEs, representing 60% of employment and 78% of SMEs in the food and drink sector are micro enterprises. On average, food retailers are predominantly SMEs, but with important differences across EU member states.
Who are we?
The group of experts in Agri-Food brings together over 110 active members from 28 countries across and beyond the EU. It is the largest group of experts in the Network in terms of engagement and international representation. Our group is composed by experienced Network advisors supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage sector.
Our goal is to empower SMEs to navigate challenges and opportunities in the global agri-food industry. This includes providing access to new markets, fostering innovation and sustainability, and enhancing digital transformation. The group’s approach combines direct SME support with strategic alignment to EU policies, including the Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, and the Transition Pathway for the Agri-Food Ecosystem.
This group of experts in Agri-Food operates with a unique internal structure of Work Packages, each led by dedicated experts, and fosters deep collaboration through a network of partners and stakeholders within and beyond the EU. The group also includes several International Network Partners (INPs), which further extend its global reach.
Initiatives and events
Our group of experts in Agri-Food is recognised as one of the most active groups in terms of events and strategic initiatives. In 2024 alone, we organised or co-organised 19 international brokerage events (BEs), Match2Achieve sessions, and Meet the Buyer initiatives, alongside 10 company missions targeting EU and third-country markets.
Key initiatives include:
- Match2Achieve: A flagship B2B matchmaking format that fosters cross-sector cooperation and market entry opportunities. It has been held during high-profile events such as Anuga FoodTec and SG joint meetings.
- Meet the Buyer Series: This successful initiative connects EU SMEs with large international food and beverage buyers. Following the 2024 launch with a South Korean buyer, the 2025 series continue with one major Israeli buyer and one buyer from Cyprus. A new flagship event is planned for October 2025, expected to bring together buyers and suppliers from many EU and third countries via pre-arranged meetings.
- Webinars: A robust calendar of webinars covering internationalisation (e.g., doing business in Vietnam, Nigeria, New Zealand), EU regulatory updates (e.g., the EU Code of Conduct, Deforestation Regulation), and digital trends in agrifood (e.g., AI, blockchain).
- Decentralised Trainings: These in-person workshops provide hands-on capacity-building for SG members. Notable topics have included sustainability assessments, business model innovation, and communication strategy using tools like LinkedIn and Canva.
- Collaborations: The Agri-Food experts collaborate closely with other goups on various topics such as Digital, Health, Sustainability, Internationalisation, and with external partners such as EIT Food, EIC, the EU SME Centre, the Care4Bio, EBAN, Global Foodture, FoodSafety4EU and regional clusters. These partnerships support joint events, funding facilitation, and policy engagement for SMEs.
Together, these initiatives reflect our group of experts’ commitment to supporting SME competitiveness, growth, and international success in the evolving global food landscape.
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