Smart Gastronomy Lab

Name

Smart Gastronomy Lab

Legal name

Smart Gastronomy Lab

Website

https://smartgastronomy.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smart Gastronomy Lab is a Walloon non-profit Living Lab co-founded with Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (Université de Liège) that supports food entrepreneurs, startups, and established companies through professional kitchen rental, recipe development, sensory analysis, and food innovation workshops in Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Innovation Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen) (AFALAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI), Food Safety Training & Competency Programs (HACCP, Preventive Controls) (AFALAAAN), Lab Analytics, Utilization Management & Operational Intelligence (HLACAMAK)

Keywords

• Food product development
• Culinary research services
• Sensory analysis services
• Food prototyping lab
• Professional kitchen rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Gembloux

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Professional Kitchen Rental: Hourly rental of hyper-equipped 50m² professional kitchen with 4 workstations (two 4.9m marble, two 4.9m and 2m stainless steel), Rational combi-steam oven, 625L refrigeration and freezing. For occasional use or equipment testing.
2. Enterprise Food Development Services: Recipe and product development consulting including market studies, focus groups, scientific research, benchmarking, technical feasibility testing, INCO 1169 compliance, physicochemical measurements, Nutri-score calculation, and sensory analysis.
3. FoodLab Sessions Acceleration Program: Multi-session acceleration program in partnership with TRAKK Namur helping food entrepreneurs transform ideas into business projects through design thinking, agile, and lean methodologies with access to Cooking Lab and FabLab facilities.
4. Public Workshop Programs: Ticketed educational workshops including Smart Class (2.5h consumer education), Culinary Class (cooking technique training with theory), Master Class (expert scientific and culinary collaboration), and CreaBeer brewing workshops.
5. Custom Corporate Events: Tailored seminars, team building events, and custom food experiences for companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smart Gastronomy Lab operates a Living Lab in Gembloux, Belgium that provides food product development, prototyping, sensory analysis, and culinary research services to food entrepreneurs, startups, and established food companies. It offers kitchen and equipment rental (Cooking Lab), digital fabrication (FabLab), structured testing phases, acceleration programs (FoodLab Sessions), and a tiered workshop offering (Smart Class, Culinary Class, Master Class, Creabeer). The lab combines gastronomy, science, and entrepreneurship in an AFSCA-approved facility and is affiliated with Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (Université de Liège).

Product overview

Smart Gastronomy Lab is a Living Lab structure that operates as a unified ecosystem combining co-creation, culinary research, and food innovation services. The core offerings include La Smartgastronomythèque (a mediatheque of recipes and culinary research), the Cooking Lab (ultra-equipped professional kitchen for hire), and the FabLab (digital fabrication laboratory). These are supplemented by program modules including FoodLab Sessions (business acceleration), Creabeer (beer brewing workshops), Smart Class, Culinary Class, and Master Class (educational workshops), alongside services for recipe/product development, testing phases, focus groups, and food pairing consultations. The Living Lab brings together scientists, chefs, researchers, and dietitians to support entrepreneurs in developing food products and culinary innovations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cooking Lab AFSCA-approved professional kitchen facility offered as a rental workspace for food entrepreneurs, startups, and established food companies to develop, prototype, and produce food products.
• FabLab Digital fabrication lab providing prototyping, fabrication, and engineering capabilities that complement the Cooking Lab for end-to-end food product innovation.
• FoodLab Sessions Structured acceleration program for food entrepreneurs and startups that combines dedicated workspace, coaching, and access to Cooking Lab and FabLab resources.
• Recipe and Product Development Consulting service in which the lab's food scientists and chefs help clients develop and refine recipes and food products from concept to prototype.
• Testing Phases Structured, multi-phase testing services for food products, including sensory analysis, consumer testing, and validation of prototypes.
• Food Pairing Consultations Consulting engagements that apply food pairing methodology to help clients design flavor combinations, menus, or product lines.
• Smart Class Entry-level public workshop covering core food innovation and gastronomy topics.
• Culinary Class Intermediate hands-on culinary workshop delivered in the lab's professional kitchen, focused on practical cooking techniques.
• Master Class Advanced workshop tier for experienced professionals, covering expert-level gastronomy and food innovation topics.
• Creabeer Workshop focused on beer creation and brewing techniques, leveraging the lab's kitchen and food science expertise.
• Focus Group Focus group service providing qualitative consumer feedback on food products, recipes, or concepts under test.
• Food & Culture Conferences Themed conferences and event programming examining the intersection of food and culture.
• Grand Conferences Large-scale flagship conference events organized by the lab on food innovation themes.
• Rental and Reservation Services Bookable rental and reservation services for the lab's Cooking Lab, FabLab, and equipment, accessed via a dedicated booking system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Professional kitchen facilities: 50m² with 4 workstations, Rational combi-steam oven, 625L refrigeration/freezing
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech - Université de LiègecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by GxABT-University of Liège. The Smart Gastronomy Lab is housed within the faculty campus and maintains deep integration with the Laboratory in Gastronomic Sciences for fundamental and applied research in food science, 3D food printing, IoT food applications, and gastronomic health (Hippocratonomy).
• Creative WalloniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two pilot Living Labs from the Creative Wallonia project call, supporting innovation in the Walloon region.
• TRAKK NamurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivery of FoodLab Sessions acceleration program. Provides complementary FabLab and innovation community services to food entrepreneurs alongside Smart Gastronomy Lab's Cooking Lab and food science expertise.
• KIKKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology and digital culture festival partnership for promoting food innovation and technology convergence.
• Cap InnoveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness incubator supporting food startups and entrepreneurs in accessing Smart Gastronomy Lab services.
• AlimentominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining and HORECA (hotel/restaurant/catering) sector partnership for food industry professional development.
• KarottminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNutrition and dietetics partnership for healthy eating initiatives and food education programs.
• BeerFac BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal craft brewery at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech producing 'Dans les bois de Gembloux' beer featured in food pairing collaborations.
• Domain du ChenoyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinemaker producing 'Perle de Wallonie' crémant featured in beer and food pairing demonstrations.
• jobs@skillsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlended learning and e-learning specialist partnership for food industry training programs.
• Le Secret du ChefminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCulinary media partner providing recipe content and culinary expertise collaboration.
• KazidomiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth food e-commerce platform partnership for promoting healthy eating and food innovation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BioFoodTech: Canadian food technology centre offering pilot plant facilities, food testing, and product development services to food entrepreneurs — comparable shared-facility food R&D model.
• Kitchen Theory: London-based food innovation and consultancy combining gastronomic science, sensory analysis, and recipe development for food brands — overlapping service offerings in scientific food development and consumer testing.
• FOODLAB Den Bosch: Dutch food innovation hub combining kitchen, lab, and business acceleration for food entrepreneurs — directly comparable operating model to Smart Gastronomy Lab's Living Lab structure with kitchen rental and startup support.
• Foodpairing.com: The scientific food pairing company whose methodology Smart Gastronomy Lab applies in its culinary innovation work; they are an active technology/integration partner and the closest direct comparable on the gastronomic-science axis.
• Alchemist (Copenhagen): Copenhagen-based food and creative innovation hub that combines culinary experimentation, R&D, and public engagement — comparable Living Lab-style operating model in northern Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Mérieux NutriSciences: Global food testing, sensory, and product development services network — comparable in food testing and sensory analysis capabilities but operating at much larger scale across multiple continents.

Others

• TRAKK Namur: Regional innovation hub in Namur that co-delivers the FoodLab Sessions acceleration program — comparable as a Belgian Living Lab partner and channel for reaching food entrepreneurs.
• Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (Université de Liège): Host institution and co-founder that anchors Smart Gastronomy Lab's research capacity, doctoral pipeline, and laboratory infrastructure — comparable as a parent research ecosystem in food science.

Regional players

• Cap Innove: Walloon business incubator channeling food startups toward Smart Gastronomy Lab services — comparable as a regional ecosystem enabler supporting food innovation in Wallonia.

Emerging players

• EAT Foundation: Global non-profit focused on transforming food systems through science, partnerships, and innovation — comparable as a food innovation thought leader and convening platform, though more policy-oriented.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SGastronomyLab
• Facebookfacebook.com/smartgastronomylab
• Instagraminstagram.com/smartgastronomylab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-gastronomy-lab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smart Gastronomy Lab