# From Hamburg to North Savo: Friendship Cooperation for Stronger Food Clusters and Sustainable Food Systems

> Friendship cooperation to strengthen food clusters by benchmarking Hamburg’s food sector cluster development.

## Overview of the Cooperation
Savonia University of Applied Sciences, representing the North Savo region, engaged in friendship cooperation with the City of Hamburg during 2025. This initiative was part of the Interreg BSR-funded project, KISMET, which focused on building more sustainable food environments. The cooperation aimed to benchmark Hamburg’s cluster development and pilot suitable elements within the North Savo region.

The North Savo pilot focused on:
* Supporting the development of cluster activities and advocacy work at the regional level.
* Exploring the possibility of a joint North Savo position to support national cluster strategy development.
* Strengthening the quadruple helix model within the North Savo food system through the Agri-Food Cluster.

## Structural Differences: Germany vs. Finland
Peer learning between German and Finnish actors highlighted significant administrative differences:
* **Germany:** Federal states possess strong regional administrative authority.
* **Finland:** Regions lack similar administrative authority, with state-level decisions strongly steering regional activities.

Despite these differences, the regions identified significant opportunities for mutual learning.

## The Hamburg Cluster Model
In Hamburg, clusters are defined by public (governmental) ownership. There are eight official clusters in the region, including **Food Cluster Hamburg**, which began operations in autumn 2024.

Key aspects of the Hamburg model include:
* **Systematic Foundation:** The cluster was established following detailed analysis (starting in 2021) and formal political decision-making by the Senate (2023) and Parliament (2024).
* **Network Integration:** It was built upon the existing *FoodActive* network.
* **Strategic Inspiration:** The AirBus cluster served as the primary model for establishing other clusters in the region.

## Stakeholder Engagement and Quadruple Helix Collaboration
A stakeholder event held on May 7, 2025, brought together quadruple helix actors from North Savo. Key takeaways included:
* **Mutual Learning:** North Savo sought to learn from Hamburg’s model for influencing decision-makers, while Hamburg explored North Savo’s methods for engaging consumers and expanding from a triple helix to a quadruple helix model.
* **Identified Challenges:** Participants noted issues regarding the continuity and stability of funding and the lack of regional funding mechanisms in Finland.
* **Strategic Needs:** There is a recognized need to strengthen the national cluster strategy in Finland and improve the visibility of existing ecosystem-based strategies.

## Lessons for Future Development
The cooperation suggests that food clusters in Finland could be strengthened by:
* Systematically building on existing networks.
* Seeking a clear public mandate and ensuring funding continuity.
* Clarifying the division of labor between chambers of commerce and clusters to ensure they act as complementary structures rather than competitors.
* Engaging stakeholders through events that combine peer learning with concrete next steps, such as organizing events targeted at politicians.

## Project Conclusion: KISMET
The friendship cooperation concluded at a final conference in Savonlinna in November 2025. The three-year KISMET project successfully:
* Reduced food waste and strengthened food education.
* Created and piloted tools for public food services.
* Advanced regional food policy and data usage.
* Reinforced quadruple helix collaboration and established permanent structures like food clusters and biodistricts.

The **KISMET MANIFESTO**, committing to the established partnership, was signed by all consortium partners, associated organizations, and friendship cooperation organizations, including the Agri-Food Cluster North Savo.

## Additional Resources
* [Watch the KISMET project summary video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mta77JZSwpQ)

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**Writers:**
* Ardita Hoxha-Jahja, Research Manager, Food System Research Unit
* Jade Hirvonen, RDI Specialist, Food System Research Unit

**Photographer:** Ronnit Hansson