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Asociación Clúster Alimentario de Galicia

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General Information
The date when the cluster organisation was established: 
Thursday, 20 May, 2010
Number of staff in the management team of the cluster organisation : 
6-10
Legal form of the cluster organisation: 
Non-Profit
Regions: 
Galicia
Cluster Excellence Label: 
Other
Other Label: 
Agrupación Empresarial Innovadora (Innovative Business Association)
Please Specify: 
Label provided by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism
Membership to European Strategic Cluster Partnerships (ESCP-4i, ESCP-S3 or ESCP-4x): 
EU4FOOD
NF4
Connsensys
Membership to other networks/partnerships: 
NameWebsite
clusters galicia
http://clustersgalicia.com/
S3 Thematic Partnership on Nutritional Ingredients
https://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/nutritional-ingredients
S3 Thematic Partnership on Smart sensors 4 agri-food
https://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/smart-electronic-systems
Cluster Management Team: 
NameSurnamePositionTelephoneEmail
Roberto
Alonso
Cluster Manager
+34 981 556 062
info@clusaga.org
Link to team description on the cluster's website: 
https://www.clusteralimentariodegalicia.org/en/about-the-clusaga/government-and-team
Languages spoken: 
English
French
Italian
Portuguese
Spanish
Sectoral and Industrial Focus
Sectoral Industries: 
Food Processing and Manufacturing
Technology fields: 
Food Additives/Ingredients/Functional Food
Food Processing
S3 EU priority areas: 
Food, beverage & tobacco products
Sustainable production & consumption
Emerging industries: 
Advanced Packaging
Blue Growth Industries
Composition of the cluster
Total number of members: 
111
Number of SME members: 
81
Number of start-ups among SME members: 
3
Number of larger company members: 
16
Number of research organisations/universities/technology centres: 
6
Number of other ecosystem actors : 
6
Link to the cluster members’ list: 
https://www.clusteralimentariodegalicia.org/en/menbers
Entrepreneurship and scale-up support facilities in the cluster's ecosystem (see "Organisation type"): 
Organisation/Facility NameOrganisation/Facility TypeWebsite
Business Factory Food
Accelerator
http://www.bffood.gal/en/
Name and link of major players: 
NameWebsiteType
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
http://www.usc.es/
University
Universidade de Vigo
https://www.uvigo.gal/
University
Universidade da Coruña
https://www.udc.es
University
ANFACO-CECOPESCA
www.anfaco.es
Technology Center
Innolact S.L.
http://www.quescrem.es/es/
SME
Cooperativas Lácteas Unidas
https://clun.es/
Larger Company
Nueva Pescanova, S.L.
http://www.pescanova.es/
Larger Company
Bodegas Martín Códax, SAU
http://www.martincodax.com/es/
SME
Clavo Congelados S.A.
http://clavo.net/
Larger Company
Aceites Abril S.L.
http://www.aceitesabril.com/index.php
Larger Company
Asociación Galega de Cooperativas Agrarias - AGACA
http://agaca.coop/
Research Organisation
Torre de Núñez Conturiz S.L.
http://www.torredenunez.com/es/
SME
Viña Costeira S.C.G
http://www.costeira.es/
SME
Kiwi Atlántico S.A
http://www.kiwiatlantico.com/
SME
Calvo Conservas S.L.U.
http://calvo.es/
Larger Company
Congalsa
https://www.congalsa.com/en/
Larger Company
Jealsa
http://rianxeira.com/
Larger Company
Cluster Strategy
Mission/Objectives: 

The mission of the Galician Food Cluster (Clusaga) is to contribute to the sustainable growth, enhanced competitiveness and internationalisation of the Galician food sector. Clusaga's scope of action includes the whole food and drink value chain, mainly food and drink transformation, but also comprising primary sector activities, auxiliary activities providing machinery, equipment, services, etc., and food distribution (including HORECA).

The Strategic Plan 2016-2020 of the Galician Food Cluster defines four lines of action:

  1. Promotion of R&D&I and strengthening of the innovative capacity
  2. Human capital, entrepreneurship, and progress towards the factory of the future.
  3. Markets and internationalisation; access to new markets and adapt to consumer trends.
  4. Consolidation and projection of the Galician Food Cluster.

The most representative activities of Clusaga include:

  • Organisation of fora, workshops, and training and info sessions on issues of relevance for the food sector stakeholders;
  • Collaboration projects to build triple- and quadruple-helix networks and innovative products and services adapted to consumption trends;
  • Innovation projects for intelligent management systems related to digitalisation, Industry 4.0 and IoT, environmental sustainability, and innovative commercialisation models;
  • Business intelligence, market analysis and prospection, and analysis of consumption trends, including workshops and study missions;
  • Joint commercial promotion actions and B2B and C2C networks;
  • Organisation of the annual Galician Food Innovation Awards;
  • Leading the Galician Business Factory Food, the regional accelerator for the food sector, in collaboration with regional public agencies and leading companies (launched in January 2019).
Do you have a formalised strategy?: 
Yes
Link: 
https://www.clusteralimentariodegalicia.org/en/about-the-clusaga
Do you have a specific strategy focus that addresses internationalisation ?: 
Yes
Link: 
https://www.clusteralimentariodegalicia.org/en/about-the-clusaga
Services
Support services provided: 
Internationalisation support (= Access to third countries markets)
Facilitation of collaboration between members
Facilitation of cross-sectorial cooperation
Trend-scouting (Ideas for innovative projects)
Innovation Management / Support of innovation processes (internal, external)
Details of support services: 

Main support services provided to cluster's members are related to:

  • Trend-scout: development of sector and personalised reports focused on consumer, market and technology trends;
  • Market and internationalisation: organisation of international activities to improving market positioning of Galician food companies, with special attention to market access and internationalisation, such as the organisation of direct or reverse missions to different countries in Europe and beyond Europe;
  • Innovation support: fostering participation of cluster members in innovation and collaborative projects, specially related to the development of innovative food products, new production processes and technologies and environmental sustainability and circular economy;
  • Capacity building: organisation of dissemination sessions and workshops, as well as training courses in relevant areas for the sector (such as marketing, food safety regulation, packaging, etc.)
Cooperation Activities
International Cooperation
The main countries targeted by the cluster organisation: 
China
Japan
Republic of Korea (South Korea)
United States
Our cluster organisation undertook the following international activities to support our members: 
Participation at missions/events/study visits/fairs
Trans-national Cooperation
The main countries targeted by the cluster organisation: 
Germany
United Kingdom
Our cluster organisation undertook the following trans-national activities to support our members: 
Participation at missions/events/study visits/fairs
Please explain: 

Clusaga’s international activities are related to:

  1. New markets and internationalisation. Clusaga implements activities to foster the knowledge and access of its members to new international markets, in Europe and beyond Europe.
  2. Innovation projects and networks. Clusaga is involved in European-programme funded projects (H2020, COSME) and networks (PIC Plant InterCluster Network, S3 Partnership Nutritional Ingredients, S3 Partnership for Smart sensors 4 agri-food). This activity allows to build and implement projects for the benefit of its members.

In terms of activities devoted to new markets and internationalisation, Clusaga has implemented the following activities in the previous years:

1. Establishment of representation offices

Clusaga established representation offices in China (Shanghai) and USA (New York) in 2013 and 2014. These were linked to a regional funded project, which finished in 2018 and 2019. However, during their operation numerous Galician companies were able to access these markets through their services.

2. Programme “Meet the Buyer” – reverse missions

Since 2014, Clusaga has implemented reverse missions involving many European and third countries, including: Australia, Belgium, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, India, Ireland, Ireland, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, UK, USA.

3. Missions in the scope of the ESCP-4i NF4 project

Missions to target markets (Brazil, Canada, China, USA) were organised in this project, with the involvement and participation of Clusaga.

4. Training actions

Clusaga has implemented different workshops and webinars in the last years to increase the knowledge of its members regarding third markets.

Which clusters do you collaborate with?: 
Wagralim
FlandersFood
Food & Bio Cluster Denmark
Food Processing Initiative
SKANES LIVSMEDELSAKADEMI
InovCluster
Valorial
Vitagora
Clust-ER
PortugalFoods
Tecnologico Padano
Agropolis
Upper Austria Food
Scotland Food and Drink
INNOSKART ICT Cluster
Vegepolys Valley
CORALLIA
Food Valley
Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association
Packaging Cluster
Support Programmes
Participation in Funded Support Programmes: 
European ProgrammesProject NameLinkName & Description (Regional/National)Link (Regional/National)
H2020
CIP/COSME
INTERREG

S3FOOD - Smart sensor systems for food safety, quality control and resource efficiency in the food processing industry (H2020 INNOSUP-01)

INCLUSILVER - Innovation in personalised Nutrition through Cluster cooperation in the Silver economy (H2020 INNOSUP-01)

CONNSENSYS - Connecting smart sensor systems for the food industry (COSME ESCP-S3)

AHFES - A quadruple helix Atlantic Area healthy food Ecosystem for growth of SMEs (Interreg Atlantic Area)

NUTRIAGE - Advanced Solutions for a Healthy Aging through Nutrition (Interreg POCTEP Spain-Portugal)

NF4 - New Frontiers in Food (COSME ESCP-4i)

http://s3food.eu; www.inclusilver.eu; www.clustercollaboration.eu/cluster-organisations/flanders-food; www.ahfesproject.com; https://nutriage.eu; https://newfrontiersinfood.eu

Business Factory Food (BFFood): BFFood is the accelerator of the Galician food sector, promoted by the regional government (Xunta de Galicia) and boosted by Clusaga as well as leading companies in the food industry (regional funding)

HSI-FOOD - Research on the industrial applicability of hyperspectral photonic technology for the determination of quality parameters in food: HSI-FOOD aims to test the use of hyperspectral photonic technology for the determination of quality parameters in raw materials and final products, in different food matrices (national funding)

SmartLabels - Utilisation of new printing technologies for the manufacture of smart tags: SmartLabels aims to develop and test new printing technologies, specifically printed electronics and two-dimensional codes with invisible inks, for the manufacture of smart labels usuing contactless technology (national funding)

www.bffood.gal/en/;www.clusteralimentariodegalicia.org/proyecto/hsi-food; www.clusteralimentariodegalicia.org/proyecto/smartlabels
Relevant Project References: 
All projects in which Clusaga participates in can be found at: https://www.clusteralimentariodegalicia.org/proyectos
Promotion
Success Story / Achievements: 

Clusaga catalyses the synergies for the establishment of alliances and defines analysis, exploration and joint implementation actions abroad with the aim of improving the positioning in international markets.

Following this line, it identified China, the world largest food consumption market, as the first market in its international development. In 2013, the cluster established GLC Food & Drink China S.L with the support of the IGAPE and participation of partner companies, which established the business unit operating in China: Shanghai Galicia Business Consulting Co. Ltd, the communication and cooperation platform between Galician companies and institutions, Chinese distributors and consumers with the following objectives:

  • Developing the visibility of food products and wines of Galicia in the Cluster in China, positioning the Galicia brand in the Chinese market, extending its network of contacts with institutions and local media.
  • Analysing the intelligence business information in the Chinese market for businesses.
  • Supporting business throughout the development and consolidation of the market, increasing their presence and market reactivity, through the establishment and expansion of the business contact network.

Clusaga defined the United States as the second market in its international development, as food market of strategic value. In 2014, the cluster established GLC Food & Drink USA S.L. with the support of the IGAPE and the participation of a consortium of partner companies, establishing the business unit operating in New York: Galicia Food & Drink USA Corporation as a platform for market access. In a second phase, in 2015 a second consortium of companies is incorporated into the platform established in the US market.

Why should partners choose you for cooperation?: 

Clusaga states in its strategic agenda the objective of boosting participation in international R&D projects, while increasing and improving the visibility of international partners and the cluster itself. In order to achieve this, the Clusaga creates the European Projects Unit, which carries out the following actions:

  • Monitoring the R&D European Policy in areas related to the cluster.
  • Defining the profile of the cluster and the members identified to increase its visibility.
  • Identifying more suitable calls for the cluster and its associates.
  • Preparing and managing R&D international projects.
  • Searching partners for submitting project proposals.
  • Participating in international events and collaboration networks.
  • Establishing a network of contacts with potential partners.