The vision of the Plant-Based Food Grant is for plant-based foods to play a meaningful role in benefiting the development of the food industry and the health of people and the planet.
Subsidies from the Plant-Based Food Grant are allocated to projects that focus on the development of the plant-based food sector, so we in the future can benefit from Danish-produced, plant-based foods.
The food sector plays a significant role in addressing the growing climate and environmental challenges.Therefore, the Plant-Based Food Grant was established as part of the transition to a green economy for land use and food consumption in Denmark.
Food production accounts for a significant share of Denmark's climate footprint. Increasing the proportion of plant-based foods in both production and consumption can help reduce the country's climate and environmental impact while also promoting public health.
Building a strong Plant-Based Food Sector
In Denmark, we now eat much more meat than we used to. We don't have to go back many generations before Danes ate a more plant-rich diet, and we need to get back to that. The key to this development lies in the food sector working with taste, nutrition, and the quality of food, so that we are encouraged to make new choices and, ultimately, form new habits.
Building a strong domestic market for plant-based foods will reduce Denmark's climate footprint but also help Danish businesses become stronger in export markets.
If the Danish plant-based food sector is to lead internationally, there is still a long way to go for an industry that is still in an experimental phase in many areas. Therefore, the purpose of the Plant-Based Food Grant is to help develop the sector so that both we at home and abroad can enjoy Danish plant-based foods in the future.
The Plant-Based Food Grant can provide subsidies for knowledge transfer and information campaigns, consultancy, research and development, including variety development, cultivation, and processing, as well as initiatives for plant-based foods, participation in quality schemes, and similar activities.
How we understand Plant-Based Food
Plant-based foods are defined as all foods made from plants, as well as edible mushrooms, algae, and beneficial microorganisms, including both unprocessed and processed raw materials and ingredients, possibly in combination with enzymes and other non-animal ingredients suitable for food production.
This includes everything from root vegetables to whole plants, stems, buds, flowers, fruits, and seeds in all forms, as well as mushrooms, yeast, and seaweed and algae from both marine and land-based sources, etc.