With 150 participants and new grant funding available, The Big Food Redesign Challenge is well on its way to getting food products designed for nature to thrive in shops worldwide.
We’re excited to announce more than £500,000 in grant funding for eligible SMEs and Startups participating in the Big Food Redesign Challenge.
Individual grants of up to £30,000 will be available to support the development and production of successful Challenge products. Organisations must be actively participating in the Challenge, and applications close on the 18th of September! SIGN UP NOW
Launched in May by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Sustainable Food Trust, the challenge asks participants to design new food products – or redesign existing ones – using circular design principles.
“This is the most incredible opportunity to share Rescued’s innovation and products with the world and learn how to make them even better!” – Rescued Kitchen
So far, over 150 companies have been accepted into the Challenge, including well-known names such as AmBev, Danone, and Nestle, retailers such as Fortnum & Mason and Sainsbury’s, alongside smaller companies such as First Milk Golden Hooves, 4 Fungi’s Regenerative, and Rescued Kitchen.
Participants are due to submit product design ideas in October, with successful products invited to the production phase in January 2024. The Challenge Team will share more details about the grant application process with eligible participants later this year, with the funding available in 2024. Products should reach supermarket shelves by the end of 2024.
“We’re really excited to be supporting the Big Food Redesign Challenge. We believe food has the power to regenerate nature, and this provides a unique opportunity for food companies to develop products that are designed to help nature thrive and to build a deep understanding of regenerative farm-level outcomes.” – Franck Saint-Martin, Environmental Impact Manager, Global Public Affairs & ESG Engagement, Nestlé.
“We’re excited to collaborate with other food brands through the Big Food Redesign Challenge. By joining this community of businesses seeking positive change, and with backing from industry experts, we look forward to playing our part in accelerating the conversation about regeneration and encouraging more people to make a positive impact on our planet through food.” – Leona McDonald, Business Unit Director, First Milk & Golden Hooves.
"At Ambev, we have solid ambitions in our ESG agenda. Sustainability is not part of our business, it is our business. With the Challenge, we expand our vision to think about the development of products from beginning to end, analyzing the production chain in a broader way. Seeking not only to use resources, but to return positively to the ecosystem. At this moment, we already have products that are undergoing a redesign phase in internal approvals" — Caio Miranda, Sustainability Director, Ambev
Bringing together a group of ambitious food manufacturers, brands and retailers, the Challenge offers a unique and exciting opportunity for collaboration and peer-to-peer learning. Additionally, participants can access dedicated support and exclusive webinars from leading circular economy and regenerative agriculture experts.
"This Challenge is deeply related to our purpose, strategy and vital activities. The webinars, meetings and interactions with the Challenge team and other participants are generating many learnings about design, communication, consumer behaviour, materials and concepts for packaging. All this exchange has created great enthusiasm throughout the team. We are already thinking about formulations of new products using 100% of our ingredients." — Bruno Kato, CEO, Horta da Terra
"The Big Food Redesign Challenge has not only opened doors, it’s opened our eyes… To have the opportunity to be inspired by fellow change-makers around the world and to learn directly from leading experts continues to be an invigorating process for our team.” — 4 Fungi’s Regenerative
The current global food system is the primary driver of biodiversity loss and a significant contributor to climate change, accounting for a third of greenhouse gas emissions. By transforming the way products are made, the Foundation sees food businesses and retailers playing a crucial role in creating a circular economy for food where nature is regenerated, helping to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.
Challenge applications close on the 18th of September, 2023!
The Big Food Redesign Challenge
It’s time to redesign food for nature to thrive. Explore the Big Food Redesign Challenge, created in partnership with the Sustainable Food Trust.
