Meet our coworkers: Anna-Karin Karlsson

"To lead development and increase Sweden's food supply and competitiveness, we need sustainable and profitable food production throughout the country, courageous and innovative companies that dare to lead the way, collaboration within the food system and world-class product developers. With my business background, my role is to be the link between our experts at RISE and food businesses, government and other stakeholders in the food system. I am passionate about translating research and new knowledge into practice. "

"Within FINEST, I act as Deputy Centre Director, with a particular focus on working with our industry and communication partners. I also coordinate the work that takes place in the value chain around Swedish forest berries. It has been interesting to follow the work in FINEST from the first tentative steps to today's dynamic collaboration between different actors. In the area of forest berries, for example, we have carried out a unique study of the flow of forest berries into and out of Sweden, the health properties of the berries, consumer attitudes towards forest berries, bottlenecks and social challenges at primary level and in processing, and we have developed several prototypes of new products in collaboration between different actors. We have succeeded in creating a completely new Nordic research and business collaboration, and several new berry companies are now interested in becoming partners in the continued work of FINEST.  The forest berry industry is in the midst of systemic change with new requirements for social sustainability and working conditions, and FINEST has proven to be a good platform for collaboration, innovation and ongoing research."