PRESS RELEASE -
In just over one year of operation and with backing from Campbell Soup Company (NYSE: CPB), The Soulfull Project has pledged to donate one million servings of their high-quality, nutrient-dense hot cereal to food banks over the next two years.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
The US consumes more meat than any other country in the world. But what does this mean for consumers on a personal level? Blitz Results has created a new calculator that shows users the impact of their dietary decisions on the environment. The tool calculates the resources required for an individual's consumption of meat, and provides users with a glimpse at how eating vegetarian alternatives can help drive down their impact.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Just one year after its launch, The Soulfull Project — a mission-driven startup dedicated to making high-quality, nutritious food more accessible to those in need — has pledged to donate one million servings of its signature, nutrient-dense hot cereal to food banks across the country over the next two years.
WASTE NOT -
While food industry giants and software companies have played an important role in creating solutions for reducing food waste, local community members are proving to be just as critical in driving the movement forward.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
The rise of craft beer is a major success story. Yet, the industry is reaching an important crossroads. A new study highlights major risks ahead — meaning continuous growth and success cannot be taken for granted. Meanwhile, there’s a great opportunity to find a new ‘sweet spot’ for growth and sustainability.
The festive season is once more upon us. Perhaps you will raise a glass or two, and enjoy your favourite beer. You might go for one of the many mass-produced beers on the market, or maybe you will opt for something different, and a little more ‘crafted’ — a bright golden IPA, perhaps?
WASTE NOT -
Around 7 million tons of food go to waste each year in the UK, but local startups and organizations are dreaming up new and noteworthy ways to tackle the growing problem.
Action Hunger, a charity committed to alleviating poverty and hardship among the homeless, has created a novel solution for simultaneously providing essential items to those in need and diverting food from landfill: vending machines.
WASTE NOT -
Food waste may be on the rise, but startups across the globe are developing new solutions to drive waste — and costs — down to an all-time low.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
The food industry is in transition, with new technologies, programs and initiatives targeting everything from food waste to resource efficiency and traceability emerging almost daily to nudge the sector towards greater sustainability. Though symbols of progress, these advancements are just a drop in the ocean. Many consumers are still unaware of the issues affecting the global food system, which poses a considerable challenge to progress.
COLLABORATION -
A year after announcing its strategy to ensure 100 percent of its branded tuna is sustainably sourced, Thai Union, the company behind brands such as Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, John West and Petit Navire, has embarked on a new partnership with Nestlé to help rebuild its damaged reputation.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Between a growing global population — which is estimated to reach 9.5 billion by 2050 — rapid urbanization and climate change, shifting agricultural to a more sustainable model is essential for safeguarding the future of our food system. Startups in the United States and Singapore are ready to rise to the challenge, championing food sustainability through new technologies and infrastructure solutions designed with urban environments in mind.
WASTE NOT -
Single-serve beverage waste is on the fast-track to obsolescence as startups, multinationals and local governments unveil strategies to keep cups, straws and plastic bottles out of landfill.
COLLABORATION -
IBM has announced that it is teaming up with Walmart, JD.com and Tsinghua University National Engineering Laboratory for E-Commerce Technologies to launch a Blockchain Food Safety Alliance to enhance food tracking, traceability and safety in China.
PRESS RELEASE -
BASF’s customer Schaumaplast GmbH & Co.KG, an internationally active manufacturer of molded parts made from particle foams, is now offering packaging made from biomass-balanced Styropor®. The Styropor MB used is the first EPS (expandable polystyrene) on the market to be produced using BASF’s biomass balance approach. Following special balancing, the TÜV SÜD-certified method can be used to replace the fossil resources needed to manufacture Styropor entirely with renewable resources right at the start of the production process. Each biomass balance product thus helps to conserve fossil resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The formulation and quality of Styropor MB is unchanged compared to its fossil counterpart.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Craft beer has taken off over the past five years, with the industry now boasting over 6,000 craft breweries in the US alone, 700 of which opened in the past year. In order to continue this momentum, Anheuser-Busch (A-B) has launched Elevate, a new initiative that aims to take craft brewing to the next level by creating a stronger, safer, more sustainable category and raising awareness of its craft beer and cider brands.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
As an issue putting nearly a trillion dollars at risk, deforestation has quickly become a front-of-mind concern for businesses dependent on forest-risk commodities, such as timber, palm oil and cocoa. However, new data released by the Forest 500 shows that the 250 companies with the greatest influence over forests are failing to adequately address deforestation risks, and will not meet 2020 goals to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
2017 was a big year for the circular economy, with innovative new products, initiatives and tech tools popping up almost daily, and making it easier than every for corporates and consumers alike to engage in circularity.
An initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Forum of Young Global Leaders, The Circulars are awarded to individuals, companies (from startups to multinationals) and public and social organizations in recognition for their contributions to the circular economy. This year, 43 innovators have been nominated for pushing the circular agenda forward and paving the way for others in their field.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The cocoa industry is undoubtedly changing for the better, but the road to a sustainable sector is a long one. According to industry experts, long-term, sustainable change can’t be made without paying farmers a premium.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Furthering its mission to create a kinder, healthier world — one snack at a time — KIND has launched a new video campaign that explores the courage it takes to be kind towards strangers in an effort to kindle a conversation about what it will take to overcome the issues currently dividing the US.
The video release, in conjunction with a nationwide contest, is part of KIND’s effort to explore the differences between being “nice” and being “kind” — an oft overlooked distinction that has tangible implications on how we act towards one another.
WASTE NOT -
One year after the launch of the Courtauld Commitment 2025, WRAP has published its first Review of work underway in the food and beverage sector as a result of the voluntary agreement.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Digital news organization NowThis is rolling out a new food-focused channel that aims to explore food as it relates to culture and the environment. NowThis Food builds on the brand’s already extensive digital offerings, which include NowThis News and NowThis politics — the third and fourth largest video channels on Facebook in terms of engagement, according to Business Insider.