Wanted: solutions that reduce the use, or increase the reuse and/or recycling of single-use packaging

Single-use plastic is primarily made from fossil fuels and is meant to be disposed of right after use—often in mere minutes. It is most commonly used for packaging and serviceware such as bottles, wrappers, straws and bags. Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. We produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. In addition to the growing problem of (micro)plastic waste, its production causes huge emissions of CO2. This drastic negative impact on animal, human and planet health has recently led to new legislation and actions to reduce or ban the use of single-use plastics.

For our Reduce the Use of Single-Use Packaging challenge, we are looking for solutions that can reduce the use and increase the reuse or recycling of single-use packaging such as:

• Alternatives for single use packaging for instance replacement by durable, recyclable, reusable or multi-use forms of packaging

• Novel better biodegradable forms of packaging like seaweed pouches, cornweed pouches, mushroom root packaging, casein (milk) protein, pressed hay, bagasse (sugercane byproduct), wood pulp cellophane, etc. 

• Foodservice and retail concepts that reduce (or even better– abandon) the use of single use packaging, like packaging-free (online) supermarkets or groceries, bring-your-own-food-container foodservice concepts, reusable food/drink containers for delivery and takeaway

• Recycling or upcycling solutions, like for instance the use of agricultural residues, refillable packaging, smart solutions for the separation of single use packaging from waste streams, marketplaces to connect waste supply and reuse demand

• Any other solutions that fit within the theme

Why participate in this challenge? 

• With 1 pitch you reach 35+ food corporates, retailers and distributors at the same time! 
• Chance of being invited for 1-on-1 introduction meetings with partners interested in your product or solution during our Matchmaking Event on April 21st.
• Possibility of creating new opportunities to collaborate with leading food companies to test and prove your solutions, or even better, a strategic partnership to produce, scale or distribute your products.

How does it work?

• Send in a short and concise pitch deck (see below) 
• As soon as you have uploaded your pitch, you will receive a confirmation so that you know that we have received your pitch.
• After the deadline, our partners will assess all pitches individually and invite the companies with the most interesting / best fitting solutions for 1-on-1 introduction meetings during the BNF Matchmaking Event on April 21st, 2022. 
• If you both see potential in a collaboration, you can make agreements about follow-ups!

Pitch Format
Pitches must be submitted in English and should be max. 6 pages / 18 slides. The pitch may be submitted in free form (presentation, slide deck, letter form) but must be uploaded as a PDF file (landscape or portrait, A4 - max. 30MB). Videos, example websites, etc. can be included as a link. All pitches should include:

1. A description of your product or solution (max. 3 pages / 9 slides) 
2. A description of your company & team (max. 1 page / 3 slides)
3. A description of your growth ambition and your needs (max. 2 pages / 6 slides) 


Timeline

• January 20: launch Open Call
• March 22 at 17.00 CET: deadline Open Call
• March 23 – April 8: selection by the participating food companies & investors
• April 8: announcement & invites for matchmaking event
• April 21: (online) matchmaking event
• Q2/Q3 2022 onwards: discuss and start collaboration

Terms & Conditions

• Participation is open for startups, scale-ups, SMEs, grown-ups, innovators and scientists with an innovative product and/or technology.
• You will remain the owner of your intellectual rights, concept or solution in your pitch, until you agree otherwise.
• We strongly advise you to document everything you share with others and mention that information provided is confidential and intellectual property rights remain with you/ your company until agreed otherwise.
• Be aware of the fact that your pitch will be viewed by industry professionals and (concepts and ideas in it) may be shared with others. Keep IP sensitive unique (technical) details out of your pitch, keep it a secret that you can share later.
• Download Terms & Conditions

Questions?

For any questions about our Open Call for Sustainable Food Solutions, reach out to our startup scout Sandra at sandra.einvall@bravenewfood.com.