CENTRE DE RECERCA EN ECONOMIA I DESENVOLUPAMENT AGROALIMENTARI-UPC-IRTA

Their core work

CREDA is a Catalan research centre specializing in the economics of agri-food systems, jointly established by UPC (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) and IRTA (Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology). They analyze agri-food value chains, model sustainability impacts using life cycle assessment, and study consumer behavior and policy instruments related to food production. Their work bridges economic analysis with environmental science — evaluating food waste, nutrient cycling, and greenhouse gas emissions across European agricultural supply chains to inform both industry practice and EU policy.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), CREDA focused heavily on livestock systems — feed efficiency, local pig breeds, and consumer acceptance of animal products (Feed-a-Gene, TREASURE). From 2018 onward, they shifted decisively toward crop-based and circular agriculture: nutrient recycling, greenhouse gas abatement, carbon management, and sustainable fruit and vegetable value chains (Circular Agronomics, Nutri2Cycle, CO-FRESH, NOVATERRA). This evolution mirrors the broader EU policy shift from production efficiency toward climate-aligned, circular food systems.

CREDA is moving toward climate-impact assessment and circular economy in agri-food, making them a strong fit for future Farm-to-Fork and Green Deal-aligned projects.

How they like to work

CREDA never coordinates projects — they contribute as participants (5 projects) or third-party experts linked to larger partners (4 projects). This pattern, combined with 209 unique consortium partners across 27 countries, shows they are a sought-after specialist who gets pulled into large consortia for their economic and sustainability modelling expertise. Their frequent third-party role suggests they often enter projects through their parent institutions (UPC or IRTA), which lowers the barrier for consortium builders who want their skills without a separate partnership agreement.

With 209 unique consortium partners across 27 countries, CREDA maintains a remarkably broad European network for its size. Their connections span the full agri-food research ecosystem — from universities and research institutes to industry players and policy bodies — with particularly strong ties across Western and Southern Europe.

What sets them apart

CREDA sits at a rare intersection: they are economists embedded in an agri-food technology ecosystem (via UPC and IRTA), which means they can translate between scientific outputs and market realities. While many food research centres focus on lab science or field trials, CREDA brings the economic lens — value chain analysis, consumer behaviour, and policy impact assessment. For consortium builders, this makes them a natural partner when a project needs to prove economic viability or policy relevance alongside technical innovation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• REFRESH
  Largest funding (EUR 369K) — tackled food waste across the entire supply chain with a systemic approach combining consumer science and socio-economic modelling.
• CO-FRESH
  Most recent participant role (2020-2024) with EUR 360K funding — co-creation approach to sustainable fruit, vegetable, and protein crop value chains, signalling their current strategic direction.
• Circular Agronomics
  Bridges their livestock and crop expertise — addressed carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling across the full agri-food system with life cycle assessment.