FrieslandCampina Hellas recently organized the 2nd Innovation Competition “ΝΟΥΝΟΥ Ιdea Challenge,” focusing on sustainability in the dairy industry. The competition aimed to showcase the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of research teams working to enhance sustainability in Greece’s dairy sector. Research teams from various universities were invited to present commercially viable research results, with the goal of highlighting successful case studies demonstrating measurable improvements in reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainable resource management.

In this context, 32 research teams from Greek universities and research centers submitted proposals. The research team from the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), consisting of Mr. Argyris Papamichalopoulos, an MBA Food & Agribusiness graduate from the Departments of Agricultural Economics & Development and Food Science & Human Nutrition, Prof. Effie Tsakalidou, and Associate Prof. Andreas Drihoutsis, won one of the four awards. Specifically, they received the award for:

Collaboration with FrieslandCampina Hellas structures in Wageningen for the idea “Creation of a distillery for producing alcoholic beverages (distillates) from whey.”

This idea addresses the challenge of utilizing Greek whey from small and medium-sized dairy units, which is a significant pollutant to the environment. Currently, whey is mainly used as animal feed, but most of it is discarded into the environment, polluting seas, lakes, and rivers, thus disrupting aquatic ecosystems. The proposed solution allows the production of high-value products, which about 66% of Greek consumers would be positively inclined to buy and consume.

Excerpt from the award ceremony of the 2nd Innovation Competition “ΝΟΥΝΟΥ Ιdea Challenge” on sustainability in the dairy sector: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f99fgQFTc5w

Brief description of the idea by the research team: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08-zQ5O3tmk