What we learned from the world’s most unlikely plant-based pioneer
When we arrived in Copenhagen this October, we stepped into a moment of history in the making. Denmark – the country that still holds the world’s highest meat production per capita – has become the first nation to adopt a Plant-Based Food Action Plan, and is now pushing for a similar transition at EU level during its presidency. For a country so deeply rooted in livestock farming, this shift is transformative. And we went there to understand what it really means.
A room full of differences… finding common groundThe first surprise was the sheer diversity of people who had gathered for the summit.From Malta alone there were representatives from MaYA (Young Farmers Association), Veggie Malta, and the Food Safety and Security Unit. But the room also included farmers from across Europe, ministers and policymakers, food industry innovators, researchers and academics, NGOs and citizen groups, and think tanks shaping Europe’s food vision. Different ideologies, different priorities but everyone was looking for solutions together.Throughout the summit, food played a central role, as a demonstration of what a modern, plant-forward food system can actually deliver.
We tasted incredibly flavourful whole-food preparations with legumes and seasonal vegetables, low-processed alternatives to dairy and meat, and innovative plant-based “meats” that didn’t try to imitate animal products perfectly, but offered new culinary experiences.One highlight was our visit to Spora, a research and product development lab in Copenhagen. Their team turns overlooked by-products into nutritious ingredients – like a delicious protein-rich “no-meat” made from upcycled grapeseeds discarded by the wine industry. This kind of innovation shows how plant-based transitions can reduce waste, use fewer resources, and create affordable new foods.
We also visited a hospital that is redesigning its entire menu with impressively high culinary standards. Soon, the meals will be vegetarian by default, with meat as an optional add-on rather than the baseline. The shift is about health, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability but mostly, it’s about serving food that patients like. And they do.We returned from Copenhagen inspired and convinced that Malta can also take steps towards a more resilient, healthy, and sustainable food future.