Vitartis is committed to the economic and social development of Castilla y León, highlighting the agri-food sector as a cornerstone of the region’s identity and a driving force for rural revitalization. Our mission is to build more sustainable and resilient food systems by advancing a green and digital transition that ensures food and nutrition security. Achieving sustainable and competitive food systems is a priority for both Vitartis and our cluster members. Additionally, we are focused on exploring innovative approaches to food design, processing, and supply, aiming to offer a wider range of healthy, sustainable, and minimally processed food options, including the revival of regional "forgotten" foods.

Key cooperation areas:
• Exploring and testing new market opportunities for processing technologies and biotechnological innovations to develop future foods.
• Creating solutions to valorize by-products and secondary streams for food use within circular food systems.
• Addressing food safety challenges and identifying solutions, particularly concerning new food sources or alternative proteins.
• Developing and testing digital solutions combined with packaging, labeling, and marketing innovations to reduce waste and enhance traceability in food processing and supply chains.
• Understanding sociocultural factors that influence the acceptance and adoption of new foods.
• Promoting regional or forgotten foods through territorial diets and solutions, improving their accessibility and affordability, and advancing sustainable, climate-friendly 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: Comprise universities, technology centers, and public research institutes in 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 consists of 150 members, including 98 SMEs and 37 large enterprises, 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.