How can research results become more relevant to businesses and support a more sustainable agri-food sector? One answer lies in bringing EXCEL4MED project partners together to exchange knowledge, explore real-life challenges and engage directly with stakeholders in Malta
From 20 to 24 July 2026, our partners Eirini Xaxiri and Elli Tsapa from SEVT – Federation of Hellenic Food Industries, travelled to Malta for a five-day EXCEL4MED staff exchange, hosted by our partners Alistair Grima and Jake Mallia from The Malta Chamber.
The programme combined working sessions with visits to leading organisations across Malta’s food ecosystem, facilitating discussions on the project’s progress, the exchange of expertise and an analysis of how EXCEL4MED’s results can benefit the agri-food sector.
Throughout the week, our partners presented the project’s objectives, achievements and practical outcomes while engaging with local businesses and organisations to better understand their needs and identify opportunities for collaboration.
Discussions also focused on how the project’s research and innovation results can support companies in improving the sustainability and valorisation of food resources.
Visiting key actors of Malta’s agri-food ecosystem
One of the highlights of the exchange was a visit to Maypole Group, one of Malta’s leading food manufacturers and retailers. The team met with James Debono (Director) and Christabel Debono (Junior Leadership Executive) to discuss the challenges associated with managing and valorising food by-products.
The visit also included a tour of the production facilities, offering first-hand insight into the company’s manufacturing processes and helping identify potential opportunities where EXCEL4MED’s solutions could contribute.
The staff exchange also included a visit to General Soft Drinks (GSD), Malta’s licensed bottler of The Coca-Cola Company products. Guided by Stephen Bonnici (Deputy General Manager), our partners explored the production facilities and learnt about the company’s manufacturing processes and sustainability initiatives. Particular attention was given to the measures GSD is implementing to reduce its environmental footprint and promote more sustainable production practices.
Another important stop was the Malta Food Agency, where our partners Josephine C. Schembri and Emma Cutajar welcomed the rest of the team. Alongside a visit to the Pitkalija fruit and vegetable market, discussions focused on the challenges faced by Malta’s primary agricultural sector, including the management of agricultural surplus and the promotion of local production.
The visit also provided an opportunity to collaborate on the development of the EXCEL4MED Handbooks, one of the project’s key knowledge-sharing outputs.
At the University of Malta, our partner Dr. Matthew Xuereb introduced the team to innovative green technologies, explaining their applications, advantages and how these solutions can support more sustainable food production while contributing to EXCEL4MED’s overall objectives.
In addition to the external visits, several working sessions took place at The Malta Chamber, where our partners reviewed the project’s progress, continued discussions on the drafting of the project’s Handbooks and looked into potential synergies that could extend beyond the lifetime of the project.
As EXCEL4MED continues to develop innovative solutions for the sustainable valorisation of citrus and pomegranate by-products, activities such as these are essential to ensure that research remains closely linked to the needs of industry and society.
