The research and innovation ecosystem in Vila Nova de Famalicão continues to grow, this time through TECMEAT – the Agri-Food Competence Centre for the Meat Sector –, which is preparing to invest €1.5 million in expanding the laboratories based at the Famalicão IN HUB in Vale S. Cosme. The project, which also has the support of the local council, will enable an increase in the research, development and innovation capacity that this Centre of Excellence has been delivering from Famalicão, consolidating its position as a leading technological infrastructure for the meat sector.
The investment will be implemented by 2027, through an application approved at the end of last year under the Portugal 2030 Programme, and will strengthen TECMEAT’s capacity to develop research projects, with the aim of increasing the competitiveness of companies to respond to the current challenges of the agri-food sector, which in the municipality of Famalicão represents a turnover of around 404 million euros and employs approximately 2,857 people across 132 companies.
The matter was discussed by the municipal executive at the last Council meeting, held last Thursday, 26 March, with the council led by Mário Passos approving the allocation of €200,000 to support this investment by TECMEAT. “Over the years, TECMEAT has proven to be a true hub for generating knowledge for the agri-food industry. Its growth is good news for Vila Nova de Famalicão, but above all for the national agri-food sector,” said Mayor Mário Passos.
Strengthening response capacity in terms of laboratory testing and trials, broadening the range of advanced trials for the validation of pilot processes, improving quality control, food safety and traceability systems, and increasing applied research and experimental development activities are some of the objectives of this expansion project, through which TECMEAT aims to double the number of members, double the provision of technological services, increase participation in national and European R&D projects, and increase the current number of researchers from six.
It should also be noted that, in 2024, the agri-food sector recorded exports of €95.7 million, accounting for around 3.5% of the municipality’s total exports, highlighting its importance to the local economy as one of the main hubs of the agri-food industry in Portugal, with particular emphasis on the meat processing industry.
It should be noted that the creation of TECMEAT arose within the framework of the Vila Nova de Famalicão Strategic Plan 2014–2025, which identified as a priority the creation of a centre of excellence dedicated to the meat sector, a project resulting from a broad institutional partnership involving entities such as universities, technology centres, business associations and national bodies linked to innovation. TECMEAT is a non-profit association whose aim is to boost the competitiveness and innovation of production and processing companies in the meat sector through scientific and technological development, thereby increasing exports and creating value in an integrated and sustainable manner, strengthening the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge to the economic sector, as well as networks and other forms of partnership and cooperation, and increasing business investment in innovative activities, thereby promoting the growth of tradable and internationalisable production and progression along the value chain.
