Nucaps

The Observatorio de Innovación en Gran Consumo (OIGC), promoted by the Institut Cerdà, has presented in its ninth edition the first Radiography of Innovation in the sector in Spain. This comprehensive study reveals a significant recovery and growth in innovation investment across the entire value chain, reaching 1,411 million euros in 2025 — a 9% increase compared to 2024 (inflation-adjusted).

During the event, the 20 most outstanding innovations of 2025 were announced. These were selected from more than 350 identified cases throughout the entire value chain, following a rigorous evaluation process carried out by an independent committee of 16 multisectoral experts. The assessment considered criteria such as degree of implementation, value creation, contribution to efficiency, sustainability, and adaptation to new market demands.

Among the recognized projects, NUCAPS has been awarded for its innovation Nupro: the first microencapsulated probiotics specifically designed for incorporation into food products where bacteria would not otherwise survive. This breakthrough enables effective delivery of probiotics to improve gut health, opening new possibilities for functional foods while contributing to consumer wellbeing and sustainability.

NUCAPS shares this recognition with other leading companies and organizations in the sector, including:

• Mahou San Miguel – Transforming beer bagasse into edible coffee spoons and stirrers, turning 192,000 tons of annual waste into zero-waste products
• Bayer – Preceon: integrated genetic + digital system increasing corn yield by up to 10% while using less water and inputs
• Ecoembes – CircularCheck: ecodesign tool to improve packaging sustainability across its entire lifecycle
• Mercadona – Portal Tornillo: internal real-time digital platform for catalog management and supplier collaboration
• Lidl
• Unilever – Skip Short Cycles detergent: effective cleaning in 15-minute cycles, reducing energy by up to 60% and water by 30%
• CNTA – Sandbox AgriFoodtech: pioneering European pre-regulatory testing program for agrifood technologies
• and many others including Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Parcitank, Evapo-control, EIT Food, Fibtray Solutions, Agrow Analytics, VisualNACert, Vitartis, Agrolinera, Plexus, Ministries of Science & Agriculture, Governments of Navarra and La Rioja, ONG Cesal, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, and IRTA.