The food consortium Italia del Gusto together with Eatable Adventures launched a challenge for international startups to find new sustainable, innovative, and functional solutions in the field of food packaging.

Amica Chips, Auricchio, PanPiuma, Parmalat, Ponti, Rovagnati, Urbani Tartufi, and Valsoia are the eight Italian Food companies promoting the Challenge, fostering new synergies between established businesses and startups.

In the contemporary landscape of the food industry, packaging stands at the forefront of formidable challenges. The escalating environmental consciousness is compelling companies to explore sustainable solutions, with a particular focus on minimizing plastic usage. This challenge is further underscored by the imperative to craft packaging that not only preserves food but also aligns with eco-friendly principles and functionality.

With the aim of addressing the growing needs of the industry and consumers, Italia del Gusto, the private consortium of leading Italian food and wine producers, and Eatable Adventures, one of the leading global foodtech accelerators, unveil an exciting Challenge focused on pioneering advancements in food packaging. This initiative is designed to harmonize packaging innovation with the imperative of ensuring sustainability and convenience, presenting avant-garde solutions that effectively meet the current challenges in the food sector.

The Challenge involves eight prestigious companies from Italia del Gusto: Amica Chips, Auricchio, PanPiuma, Parmalat, Ponti, Rovagnati, Urbani Tartufi, Valsoia. Their contribution has been crucial in identifying and defining the strategic areas of interest for this innovative initiative.

The requested proposals will focus on three strategic areas crucial for the food industry: sustainability, cost reduction, and innovative materials.

• Recycle & Reuse: next-generation solutions and alternative materials to decrease plastic usage, promote the recycling of existing packaging, and encourage ecological alternatives.

• Innovative Materials: Cutting-edge proposals to extend the shelf life of products, enhance functional and organoleptic characteristics, and promote consumption convenience.

• Efficient Processes: Advanced solutions aimed at redefining packaging in the food industry by reducing costs, optimizing processes, and improving product traceability.

The selected startups will have the opportunity to establish collaborations with some of the most prestigious Italian food companies, test their solutions in real-world scenarios, and benefit from the support of industry experts, such as Eatable Adventures, to refine and validate their projects. Additionally, they will become part of a collaborative ecosystem that encourages the sharing of knowledge and ideas under the banner of Open Innovation. This journey will ultimately provide them with visibility and recognition at the international level, enabling them to enhance their presence in the food packaging market.

Interested startups can participate by submitting their innovative proposals through italiadelgustochallenge.com.

The Consortium recognizes the importance of creating synergies with emerging entities and cutting-edge startups to innovate sustainably. That’s why it has decided, in collaboration with Eatable Adventures, to launch this challenge to seek sustainable solutions in product packaging,” states Giacomo Ponti, President of the Italia del Gusto Consortium. “Investing in startups working on transformative solutions is crucial in a country like Italy, where the agri-food sector has traditionally been one of the pillars of the economy,” adds Alberto Volpe, General Manager of Italia del Gusto.

“Open Innovation, although still relatively uncommon, represents today an essential point of connection between new talents and traditional companies, playing a crucial role in the development of future businesses,” declares Andrea Manzini, General Manager of Eatable Adventures. “The Challenge we have organized in collaboration with Italia del Gusto is a tangible example of the need for new directions for businesses, promoting synergies and exchanges of ideas to overcome challenges in the agri-food sector, in this case related to packaging. This is aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurial fabric of our country and responding to the continuously changing needs of the industry.”