We are preparing a new international project proposal focused on R&D and product innovation and are currently seeking technical and research-oriented partners.

Project Background

Our work is grounded in a previously implemented TÜBİTAK-supported research project centred on Cerrah Dry Beans, a geographical indication product cultivated in Cerrah Village (İnegöl, Türkiye).
This research provided a strong scientific and field-based understanding of the product’s; nutritional profile, agricultural characteristics, local production conditions, and market potential beyond conventional consumption.

Based on these findings, pilot trials were conducted to transform the raw product into value-added food formats, including: healthy snacks, draje-type products, plant-based and additive-free alternatives suitable for modern consumption habits.

Project Objective

The main objective of the new proposal is to: conduct applied R&D on a traditional legume, develop functional, healthy snack products (e.g. draje, bar, or innovative formats), improve processing, formulation, and shelf-life while preserving nutritional value and support the commercialisation readiness of the developed products.

The project focuses on food technology, nutrition, and innovation, rather than cultural or heritage-oriented activities.

Partners We Are Looking For

We are interested in collaborating with:

- universities or research centres specialising in food engineering, food technology, nutrition, or functional foods,
- laboratories experienced in product formulation, sensory analysis, and nutritional testing,
- SMEs or innovation hubs working on healthy snacks, plant-based foods, or food processing technologies,
- public or semi-public institutions supporting applied food R&D and innovation ecosystems.

What We Offer

- a well-defined raw material with geographical indication,
- prior research experience and pilot product development,
- strong local production context and public-sector support,
- readiness to move from research to market-oriented outputs.

If your institution is interested in applied food R&D, functional snack development, and innovation based on traditional agricultural products, we would be glad to explore partnership opportunities.

İnegöl Municipality is a local public authority based in Bursa, Türkiye, with an active role in applied research, innovation and local development. The municipality has extensive experience in projects that combine agriculture, food innovation and public-sector implementation, and works closely with universities, research centres and private-sector actors to translate research outputs into practice.

Through its institutional structure, İnegöl Municipality has direct access to geographical indication products, local producers and real-life pilot environments, enabling the testing and validation of innovative food products under authentic production conditions. The municipality supports food-related R&D processes ranging from raw material analysis to prototype development, pilot production and early-stage market readiness.

İnegöl Municipality has previously coordinated and contributed to TÜBİTAK-funded research projects and has supported the development of value-added food products, including healthy snacks and innovative product formats. In these processes, the municipality has played a bridging role between scientific research, local production capacity and commercialization pathways, including branding and intellectual property support.

With its operational capacity, cross-sector partnerships and access to living lab environments, İnegöl Municipality provides a strong and reliable institutional base for applied food R&D, functional food development and innovation-driven projects that aim to move from research to tangible products.