Explore the World of Food: A Vision for a Food Experience Center in the Heart of Östergötland

We Live in a Pantry

We live in a pantry surrounded by rich agriculture and diverse food production, Mjölby Municipality has been nurturing the concept of a Food Experience Center since 2017. Plans include establishing a national Food Experience Center, alongside food production and research facilities in Väderstad, transforming it into a premier tourist destination

A Center of Learning

The primary goal is to create a venue where future generations can acquire, manage, and disseminate knowledge across all food-related disciplines. The center will focus on education, digital innovation, and sustainability, catering to both the young and the old. It aims to serve as a nexus for the food industry, enhancing its appeal and supporting professional development from farm to fork and back again.

What does it take to succeed?

Such a project demands long-term dedication, resilience, and sharp focus. It is a dynamic process that will see the center develop in alignment with Agenda 2030 goals. Spearheaded by Mjölby Municipality, the initiative will require robust collaboration and concerted efforts to turn this vision into reality. Currently, the project enjoys the support of 45 stakeholders.

“We are convinced that an experience center would be of great importance to the green industries and the tourism industry, both locally and regionally,” says Cecilia Burenby, Chair of Mjölby’s Municipal Executive Board.

The project is operational runned by an internal project group containing of mostly civil servants. For strategic questions there is an advisory board with representatives from the County Administrative Board, the Region Östergötland, Väderstad AB, LRF (The Federation of Swedish Farmers), RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and Östergötland County Administrative Board.

Recently the part of the project group, responsible for physical planning, started the process with the detailed development plan.

Another part of the project group responsible for project managment and communication, develops the project by keeping track of external contacts and developing business- and organisation models.