12 finalists in the Business Models Streams will compete for a grand prize
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A dozen Canadian companies are vying for a grand prize in the Food Waste Reduction Challenge.
Minister Bibeau announced the 12 finalists in the Business Models Streams: Abokichi, Blanc de gris, Circular Innovation Council, Food Cycle Science, LOOP Synergies, Outcast Foods, Savormetrics, Still Good, The Station Food Company, Top Grade Ag, TriCycle and Vivid Machines, during a virtual press conference on June 16.
“You come from different regions across the country, you work in many different fields, but you’re all brilliant innovators.” Bibeau said. “And you all care for our climate. It’s values like these that unite us in building a better future for generations to come.”
Launched in November 2020, the Food Waste Reduction Challenge aims to deliver high-impact solutions to food waste in Canada.
Entrants in the Business Models Streams have solutions that are ready for commercialization and that provide an innovate way to prevent or divert food waste across the supply chain.
Food Cycle Science from Cornwall, Ont. for example, developed a product called the FoodCycler. It transforms food waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment in hours.
And Top Grade Ag from Calgary, Alta., helps farmers with grain drying.
“Our technology enables farmers to convert their grain storage facilities into grain drying facilities very affordably,” Glenn Wilde, co-founder of Top Grade Ag, said during the press conference. “By providing farmers with access to low-cost on-farm grain drying, it will enable farms of any size to be able to harvest high-moisture grains and lock in premium quality and eliminate (related) losses.”
Each of the 12 finalists will receive $400,000 to use to grow and scale up their solutions in Canada for the next 12 months.
The companies are competing to win two grand prizes of up to $1.5 million.
The grand prize winners will be announced in Summer 2023.