The two collaborators have announced the launch of Biotech Heights, a new research hub that will explore food and materials production using bioprocessing to create useful products from living cells or cell components.

“Lund University’s research mission in this area revolves around the exploration and advancement of scalable biotechnology, which we see as a transformative tool to building a more sustainable society. However, none of this is possible without collaborating with key industry partners like Tetra Pak. By bringing together experts from academia and industry with infrastructure from diverse fields, we can foster state-of-the-art advancements and drive positive change on a much larger scale,” says Annika Olsson, Dean at Lund University Faculty of Engineering.

Biotech Heights

Biotech Heights will establish an open innovation environment, in which all participating organizations will have access to world leading laboratories and equipment for both commercial and academic purposes. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to work alongside several faculties at the University to address both the technical and non-technical challenges facing producers, brands, and manufacturers operating in this space, the collaborators state. This, combined with Tetra Pak’s experience supporting food and beverage brands with product development, will make Biotech Heights a space to nurture and test ideas, and collaborate to share knowledge on best practices and consumer trends.

The hub will deepen the longstanding partnership between Tetra Pak and Lund University, combining Tetra Pak’s global food processing and packaging expertise with the research capabilities of Lund University, one of the world’s top 100 universities, enriching the region’s existing reputation as a centre for groundbreaking food innovations. The hub will include cross-disciplinary research within marketing strategies, consumer behavior, and emerging trends. The work in this field aims to provide market leading understanding of consumer perception and branding, alongside addressing the technical obstacles facing alternative protein producers.

Photo: Tetra Pak