It’s time to redesign food for nature to thrive

The current food system is a primary driver of biodiversity loss and accounts for a third of global greenhouse gases. But there is hope, and it lies within the power of food businesses and retailers to redesign our food system to allow nature to thrive.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in partnership with the Sustainable Food Trust, is proud to have launched the Big Food Redesign Challenge. It aims to catalyse and inspire the food industry to regenerate nature by applying the principles of circular design to food.

Creating a community seeking positive change

The Challenge brings together ambitious producers, retailers, start-ups, and suppliers to accelerate the design of food that aims to regenerate nature. It presents a unique opportunity for food industry frontrunners to collaborate and learn – along with the support of world-leading circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. and regenerative productionregenerative productionRegenerative production provides food and materials in ways that support positive outcomes for nature, which include but are not limited to: healthy and stable soils, improved local biodiversity, improved air and water quality. experts.

Challenge participants are being supported to design new food products – or redesign existing ones – using circular design principles. Food businesses have joined a bespoke Challenge Platform supporting pre-competitive collaboration and networking, and hosting learning content and events. Participants also have free access to the world’s largest product and ingredient impact measurement tool, HowGood’s Latis platform, to support the product (re)design process.

Celebrating and showcasing circular design

Successful teams will be invited to take their design(s) into production and pitch to leading retailers to bring the product(s) to market. We’ll showcase some of the most exciting and insightful products, innovations and journeys, and participants will have priority access to the shared learnings. By the end of the Challenge, we will have uncovered pathways to success that enable businesses to embrace circular food design.

If you’re a food business, large or small

Whoops! You’ve missed the deadline for applications to the Challenge. If you have a product that you think aligns with our Circular design for food framework, please follow this link to get in touch with the Food team.

If you're a farmer, grower or ingredient supplier

Make yourself visible to Challenge participants.

"We're delighted to be involved in the global Big Food Redesign Challenge and look forward to stocking our shelves with some of the innovative products that are being created with nature in mind. Our customers are thoughtful shoppers who trust us to offer responsibly sourced produce, and we can't wait to hear their thoughts on the new products developed for the Challenge."

Ben Thomas, Senior Environment Manager, Waitrose and Partners