Tesco and WWF have launched an accelerator program that pairs pioneering
startups with Tesco suppliers to fast-track sustainability innovation in the
supply chain, with the goal of reining in the environmental impact of food and
support UK food security.
The Innovation Connections accelerator will address a key barrier preventing
promising sustainability innovations from being adopted at scale in food supply
chains, by identifying suppliers who can help to scale up new ideas and
technologies. Applicants have been paired with long-term Tesco suppliers to
pitch scale-up projects that apply their ideas in the real world of food supply
chains. Winners will work with Tesco’s supplier partners to pilot and scale
their innovation and will each receive up to £150,000 in funding support.
“More than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions are driven by the way we
produce and consume food, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” says WWF CEO
Tanya Steele. “It’s possible for farms to produce enough nutritious food and
sustain farmers’ livelihoods at the same time as protecting and restoring the
natural resources they depend on. We hope the launch of this new accelerator
program with Tesco will bring innovative solutions a step closer and help us
achieve our goal of halving the environmental impacts of the average UK shopping
basket.”
From 70 Innovation Connections applications, eight startup finalists took part
in in a pitch competition on May 6 for the chance to see their project rolled
out in the Tesco supply chain:
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the exciting potential of cultivated, fermented and plant-based protein innovation
Join us as Aleph Farms, the Better Meat Co, the Good Food Institute and Plantible Foods discuss the latest advancements in cultivated, plant-based, and fermentation-derived proteins — and how incorporating alternative proteins can help brands significantly reduce environmental impacts, while conserving natural resources — Tuesday, Oct. 15 at SB'24 San Diego.
AgriSound & AM Fresh (Tesco fruit supplier) – technology that uses
bioacoustics to monitor pollinators and pest levels on farm to help farmers
protect biodiversity and increase produce yields
-
Aurea & Adrian Scripps (Tesco apple supplier)– full lifecycle crop
intelligence for fruit trees that allows farmers to manage health and
fruit-load for every tree individually, improving yields while minimizing
the use of inputs such as fertilizer
-
ai & Hilton (Tesco meat and fish supplier) – a monitoring system that uses
birdsong as a science-based biodiversity indicator in grassland farming
-
CCm, Andermatt, FCT & Branston (Tesco potato supplier) – a demonstration
of low-carbon fertilizers to reduce the carbon footprint of potato
production
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FCT & ProduceWorld (Tesco produce supplier) – advanced carbon footprint
software for horticultural growers to analyze and reduce their emissions and
increase carbon sequestration on farm, whilst also identifying cost savings
and efficiencies
-
Future by Insects & Hilton (Tesco meat and fish supplier) – creation of
circular fish feed using food waste to grow microalgae to feed fish.
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Harbro & Muller (Tesco milk processing supplier) – technology to
precisely measure nutrient efficiency on dairy farms
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InsPro & Prepworld (Tesco prepared fruit supplier) – portable
bioconversion units that use insects to convert food waste into chicken feed
and reduce the use of soy feed in the egg supply chain
A winner will be announced later this week.
Tesco is also calling on the UK government to do more to unlock innovation in UK
food supply chains and support innovations to market readiness — not just at the
seed funding stage. Specifically, it is asking the government to set out
timelines and process for updating outdated regulations that hinder the scaling
up of late-stage innovations such as insect
protein
in animal feed or sustainable low-carbon fertilizers, and to create incentives
for businesses and consumers who are early adopters of new food system
innovations.
Tesco Group CEO Ken Murphy said: “To deliver affordable, healthy and
sustainable food for all, the entire food sector must innovate fast. That’s why,
as well as driving improvements in our own operations, Tesco is collaborating
with innovative suppliers and startups. But we also need government support, to
help the food industry to scale proven innovations. The upcoming Food Strategy
White Paper is a great opportunity to transform our food system and enhance food
security. We hope the paper will set out a process to update outdated
regulations that hinder the scaling up of much needed innovations.”
The overarching goal of Tesco and WWF’s
partnership
is to halve the environmental impact of the average UK shopping basket by 2030,
compared with a 2019 baseline — a commitment that Tesco and its fellow UK retail
giants Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and The Co-op
made at COP26 last
November.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published May 11, 2022 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST