Welcome to 1st issue of CUES Newsletter
Introducing CUES
CUES is a HORIZON Europe Research and Innovation Action funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No: 101136507. It started in March 2024 and will last for 48 months.
CUES addresses the urgent need for a more sustainable food system that benefits the environment, society, and the economy. The project aims to foster a Triple Change in the food system concerning culture, food value chain, and policy. To this end, CUES will pilot nine food system interventions and policy dialogues, actively involving consumers, food value chain actors, and policy makers. A learning community and toolkits for behavioural change and communication will be developed to motivate 3 million consumers to make sustainable food choices.
The CUES consortium, led by the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, consists of 21 partners that can be broadly classified into higher education & research organizations, consumer organizations, large-scale networks, technology providers, and food SME’s & innovation-support agencies, across 10 European countries (Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Iceland, Portugal, and Greece).
Project Triple Change & Project Intervention cases
CUES will foster a Triple Change in the food system concerning culture, food value chain, and policy aiming the consumer empowerment.
Also, CUES partners will develop 9 intervention cases involving consumers, actors in the food value chain, and decision-makers in 8 European countries plus an EU-wide hackathon.
The food value chain stakeholders’ intervention cases aim to increase the transparency and traceability of food labeling and promote consumer trust. Also, the consumer-centered and community-led intervention cases engage consumers across all cultural, demographic, and socio-economic backgrounds in the transition to a sustainable food system.
Project Activities
Kick-Off Meeting
The CUES project held its kick-off meeting on March 7th and 8th, 2024, hosted by Erasmus University Rotterdam, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Following the meeting, the 1st press release was published to officially announce the start of the project, and partners of the consortium shared their ideas and ambitions for a successful implementation to achieve the project goals.
CUES Symposium
The CUES Symposium, titled “CUES in Action: Shaping the Future of Food with Cutting-Edge Research and Sustainable Practices”, took place on March 8th, 2024, at Erasmus University Rotterdam following the project’s Kick-off meeting. This groundbreaking initiative aimed to revolutionize people’s food consumption patterns by fostering the ‘Triple Change‘ in culture, food value chain, and policy. By co-designing scientific methods to effectively communicate sustainability, equipping food value chain actors with sustainable practices, and engaging consumers and policymakers in informed choices, CUES is a beacon of systemic change. This symposium explored these innovative approaches, unveiling how CUES will shape a new reality where sustainable eating is the norm.
Communication Activities
To expand its online reach and connect with a broader audience, the project launched its communication efforts by creating social media profiles for CUES across popular platforms like LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
The CUES website was officially launched! Dive into our portal to stay updated with the latest news and developments of our project. Check it out now!
Moreover, we have developed engaging promotional materials to help you learn about our fascinating project in a more visual way. Explore our videos, infographic, leaflet and other resources to get a deeper understanding of what we do!
Synergies with other projects & initiatives
The CUES project joins forces with projects, networks, and initiatives towards making the European and global food system more sustainable!
CUES has already connected with powerful initiatives focusing on food waste, traceability, smart farming, and food culture. Together we explored alliances and learning opportunities to create more value.
CUES has already interacted with these projects:
Future developments
Some future activities will continue to develop in the 2nd semester of the project. They are mentioned below:
- Co-designof interventions in food value chains;
- Interventions forkey vulnerable groups;
- Mobilisation of the CUES advisory board