The food industry significantly contributes to biodiversity loss and accounts for a substantial portion of global greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing these challenges requires innovative approaches, and the Big Food Redesign Challenge exemplifies a move towards a circular economy for food.
By rethinking ingredients and production methods, food brands and supermarkets can design food that benefits people, nature, and the climate. This initiative shows the potential for real, impactful change within the food industry.
Big Food Redesign Challenge phases: Design, Produce, Retail
The Big Food Redesign Challenge: A Circular Economy Approach
In 2023, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the Sustainable Food Trust, launched the Big Food Redesign Challenge. This initiative aims to inspire the food industry to adopt a circular economy framework, promoting a more sustainable and regenerative food system. This challenge showcases that a circular economy for food can address the climate crisis and improve biodiversity.
The circular economy is a 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.
Regenerative Design in Action
The Big Food Redesign Challenge saw 57 participants, including producers, start-ups, suppliers, and retailers from across the globe. They successfully submitted 141 redesigned products focused on nature regeneration, demonstrating a commitment to improve biodiversity and soil health.
These products generally outperform the food industry average in terms of climate impact, biodiversity conservation, and soil health enhancement. This highlights the potential for companies to actively design their products with environmental considerations in mind.
Overcoming Barriers and Moving Forward
Participating companies are driving progress by prioritizing nature in their design processes, but the challenge also reveals existing obstacles within the industry. Identifying and addressing these barriers is critical for scaling up regenerative food practices.
By focusing on the ingredients they use and the methods of food production, brands and supermarkets have the potential to design food that is better for the environment and for consumers. Through collaborative efforts and a commitment to sustainability, a more resilient and ecologically sound food system is possible.
