If you’re a food business, large or small
Apply today to join the Challenge
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 will be supported to design new food products – or redesign existing ones – using circular design principles. We invite food businesses to join a bespoke Challenge Platform supporting pre-competitive collaboration and networking, and to join a series of learning events with access to expert support. 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.
"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
You can be a change-maker
A better food future starts today, with you and your team. What if food could help tackle climate change? What if it could build biodiversity? With circular design for food, we can do all this and more.
Here's how
The study
The Big Food Redesign study was published by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2021 and looks at the role fast-moving consumer goods companies and food retailers can play to move us towards a food system with significant positive impacts for business, people, and the environment. It explores the ways in which food products can be designed in closer collaboration with farmers, for nature. Two years on… We are launching The Big Food Redesign Challenge to catalyse the development of food products that are designed for nature to thrive.
The Big Food Redesign studyIn partnership with
Funded by
People's Postcode Lottery
Delivered in collaboration with
How Good
Waitrose and Partners
OP2B