Elevating solutions that reduce food loss or food waste in Australia
Rocket Seeder is partnering with End Food Waste Australia to find the best Australian solutions to food loss and waste problems.
The Australian Food Waste Challenge is directly aligned with United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 - which aims to halve food loss and waste by 2030.
Applications for the Australian Food Waste Challenge have now closed.
#ausfoodwastechallenge
Why apply?
The National Food Waste Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to have your business and its solutions showcased on a national stage. Category winners will receive the following benefits.
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Opportunity to be selected to pitch their business at the National Food Waste Summit, 24-25 July 2024 in Melbourne
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3 months access to the Empauer DIRECT food waste tool, plus workshop and follow up support
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Mentoring from the Rocket Seeder team and broader network
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Mentoring from the End Food Waste Australia team
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Promotion of their business and solution on all Challenge social platforms
Applications take 20 minutes; select the Apply Now button and get yours in today.
Challenge Categories
Key Program Dates
How the Challenge Works
The Australian Food Waste Challenge is the first of its kind globally, seeking out innovators and small businesses solving Food Loss and Waste problems to shine a spotlight on them, and connect them to those that will help them in their journey.
Shortlisted applicants will be set a task or challenge relevant to the sector or category they’ve submitted their solution in. These submissions will be judged on their ability to genuinely reduce food loss and waste (i.e. impact). Category finalists will be selected from these submissions and presented at the National Food Waste Summit, 24-25 July in Melbourne.
All finalists will receive mentoring and support from the End Food Waste Australia team, the Rocket Seeder network and the sponsors involved in the Challenge.
Applicants can submit their solution in any one or more of the 12 categories. Our categories have been chosen based on the contribution they make to the problem. These are the areas where the greatest food loss and waste problems exist, and where solutions to those problems need to be applied the most.
At the Australian Food Waste Challenge, we are all about solutions. So, if you have one, don’t be afraid to submit an application!
FAQ's
Q: I don’t have an ABN, can I still apply? A: No. Applicants for the Challenge must hold an ABN.
Q: My solution is not yet commercially available, can I apply for the Challenge? A: Yes.
Q: Is the Australian Food Waste Challenge an accelerator program? A: No. It is a challenge designed to unearth and promote solutions to food loss and waste, on a national stage.
Q: What do finalists receive if successful in the Challenge? A: Finalists are able to access mentoring from a variety of experts in both food waste and business. They will receive promotion via the Australian Food Waste Challenge channels and our sponsors channels. Finalists will have a national spotlight shone on their solution and on their business via socials promotion, PR and networking. Finally, they will be part of the national conversation on Food Loss and Waste.
Q: Who sets the challenge/task? A: Sponsoring organisations and the Rocket Seeder team will be setting each category’s task.
Q: My solution applies to more than one category or sector. Can I apply for multiple categories? A: Yes. Please select the most relevant categories on your application form.
Q: Does my solution need to relate to the set challenge/task? A: Not necessarily, but the challenge will relate to your chosen category or sector, so there is a high likelihood it will relate to it.
Q: Is the Challenge open to international applicants? A: No. You will need to be a registered Australian business with an ABN to be eligible to apply for the Australian Food Waste Challenge.
UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3
UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3
has two components
SDG 12.3.1. Food loss focuses on food losses that occur up to the retail level, while food waste refers to retail and consumption waste.
SDG 12.3.2. The focus of sustainable consumption and production is about doing more with less. To do this, it is vital that we increase resource efficiency and promote sustainable lifestyles, by decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation.
If food waste and loss were its own country, it would be the third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the world.
Over 7.3 million tonnes of food is wasted in Australia each year - presenting an economic opportunity of at least $20 billion.
Food waste accounts for more than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions - more than the entire aviation sector.
Over half of Australia's value-chain food and waste losses come from family households.