Progress is never linear

Life moves in cycles. Each day, we wake up, prepare for the day and shape ideas whether cooking a meal, making a call or starting something new. We bring them into action, experience their result and eventually close the day, only to begin again. It is a reassuring pattern in its quiet certainty. It reminds me that progress is never linear, whether small or significant, whether measured in seconds, years or decades. Ending and completion are not deficiencies; they are part of renewal.

The changing seasons are perhaps the most visible reminder. As spring approaches, what has been quietly developing beneath the surface begins to emerge. The period of recalibration, as winter is often seen, draws to a close, and a sense of anticipation takes its place: sunshine, longer days, the first signs of green and flowers revealing their beautiful colours. Renewal is simply continuing life.

Life’s cycles also remind us that every beginning carries, at some point, an ending. Recently, life came to a close for our beloved former colleague, Anieke Wierenga. She played an important role in shaping our entrepreneurship programme and the success of Heroes and Fastlane. The seeds she helped plant in entrepreneurs continue to grow. She will be deeply missed.

Innovation follows a similar cycle. Concepts are prepared, tested and refined. Some pause; others scale. Some become the new normal; others fulfil their purpose and create space for what follows.

In today’s food system, I see that we are entering a comparable phase. Signals from society, including the Agrifood 2050 vision and the Food2040 investment plan, alongside a growing pull from markets, suggest that scaling innovation is both possible and necessary. Scaling requires a holistic approach, recognising how the reuse of side streams, fibres, plant and animal protein, and soil health are deeply interconnected rather than separate themes.

It calls for unlikely partnerships, curiosity and perseverance, grounded in trust across the value chain, and creating fair business for all.

At Foodvalley, we are committed to creating precisely that combination for our partners: a safe and trusted environment, connection to other key innovation themes and novel partnerships that enable innovations to scale.