COOL-BORDER

• Full Project Title: Circular Frozen-Food Value Chains for Reducing Cross-Border Barriers in Central Europe
• Funding: Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE
• Lead Partner:  South-Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency - STRIA (Hungary)
• Project Lead FH Salzburg: Anna Schliesselberger, MSc BA
• Team FH Salzburg: FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Eva Lienbacher,  Anna Schliesselberger, MSc BA,  FH-Ass.Prof. DI Cornelia Ferner, BSc
• Project partners
  • Łukasiewicz Research Network – Lodz Institute of Technology (Poland)
  • AZRRI-Agency for rural development of Istria Ltd. Pazin (Croatia)
  • BSC, Business Support Centre L.t.d., Kranj (Slowenia)
  • B I C Bratislava Ltd. (Slowakia)
  • Mirbest Cluster Non-profit Ltd. (Hungary)
  • Fachhhochschule Salzburg GmbH (Austria)
  • Associated Partner: University of Salzburg (Austria)
• Duration:  September 2026 – August 2028
• Project budget: 1.187.788,00 €
• ERDF Funding: 950.230,40 €

Before reaching consumers, frozen and chilled food often crosses borders with different packaging rules, paperwork and hygiene procedures that create extra costs and waste. COOL-BORDER adapts tools from earlier Interreg projects into one support programme for SMEs. The support programme tested in six countries will help companies choose reusable or lower-waste packaging, align documentation practices, optimize cold-chain processes and logistics, and develop circular business models. Six cross-border hubs will bring companies and support organisations together to identify barriers and develop shared solutions. The project will help food businesses reduce waste, use resources more efficiently and cooperate more smoothly across central Europe.