Vitartis is deeply committed to the economic and social development of Castilla y León, highlighting the agri-food sector as a hallmark of the region and a driving force for revitalizing rural areas. Our mission is to foster more sustainable and resilient food systems by advancing a green and digital transition to ensure food and nutrition security. Achieving sustainable and competitive food systems is a top priority for us and our cluster members. We also strive to enhance food security and safety, optimize resource flows, maximize the use of natural capital and ecosystem services, minimize waste, reduce key environmental and climate impacts, and promote healthier diets in the context of resource scarcity and climate uncertainty.

Our areas of cooperation focus on:
• Innovating to prevent and reduce food waste while valorizing by-products.
• Developing scenario-based approaches to strengthen risk assessment, management, and adaptability to food safety and security shocks.
• Testing and scaling digital technologies that support food system resilience and green transition (e.g., big data, AI, advanced datasets, information exchange models, transparency tools, and flexible production systems).
• Exploring innovative collaborations to build sustainable and resilient food systems.

VITARTIS, the Food Industry Cluster of Castilla y León, is a nonprofit association founded on May 19, 2009. As an Innovative Business Group, it represents the food industry sector, one of the key economic pillars of Castilla y León. Our mission is to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of the food industry in the region by promoting innovation in all areas and advocating for the sector before public and private organizations.

The association includes food companies, technology partners, and specialized suppliers, creating a unique collaborative framework that merges science and business:
• Food companies: This includes both agri-food SMEs and large agri-food enterprises from various sectors.
• Technology partners: Comprises universities, technology centers, and public research institutes within the Region.
• Specialized suppliers: This group consists of laboratories, consultants, distributors, digital solution developers, and specialists in testing and certification, who provide services to the food industry.

Currently, Vitartis is integrated by 150 members, including 98 SMEs and 37 large companies, of which 114 are agri-food companies.

In the past two years, Vitartis has undertaken several important initiatives, including:
• Participation in 24 research and development (R&D) and innovation projects—16 as lead and 8 as participants—focusing on three main themes: environmental sustainability, digital transition to Industry 4.0, and talent attraction.
• Organizing 90 workshops and training activities to ensure ongoing education, with over 2,500 participants.
• Contributing to integrating the Sustainable Development Goals and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria into business strategies.
• Forming strategic alliances with public administrations, economic and social clusters, and various organizations to represent the interests of the food industry in Castilla y León.