Food Waste Reduction Challenge

Food Waste

Food Waste refers to all food that is grown, harvested, processed, manufactured or prepared for human consumption, but never eaten by people. It occurs at all stages of the food supply chain, from farm to plate.

In Canada and around the world, food waste continues to increase, resulting in an overuse of our natural resources such as water, soil and land, while contributing excess greenhouse gas emissions to our atmosphere. Meanwhile, a growing number of Canadians are facing food insecurity.

Challenge Streams

Food waste is a complex issue, and there is no single solution. That is why the Food Waste Reduction Challenge will include four complementary innovation streams. We know there are many great innovators out there who have high-impact solutions to tackle food waste throughout our food systems. Through the Challenge, we want to support innovators to establish and grow their solution in Canada.

Try our interactive tool to help you identify which stream is the best fit for your solution.

We are accepting applications for Challenge Streams A and B until January 18, 2021:

• Challenge Stream A: Business models that prevent food waste
• Challenge Stream B: Business models that divert food waste, food by-products and/or surplus food

The most promising solutions will be selected by an external committee of subject-matter experts. Innovators will receive grant funding as well as other benefits to help them succeed.

Streams A and B - Stages

Applicants will move through three stages to compete for the grand prize.

• Stage 1 - Concept Application: Challenge Streams A and B are launched, and application intake begins on November 19, 2020, lasting until January 18, 2021.
• Stage 2 - Market Demonstration Results: Beginning in Spring 2021, Semi-Finalists selected in Stage 1 will move on to Stage 2, where they will need to demonstrate the success of their solutions with an implementation partner in Canada over an eight-month period.
• Stage 3 - Grow and Scale in Market: At this stage, Finalists selected in Stage 2 will grow and scale up their solutions in Canada over a one-year period starting in Spring 2022 and will be competing to be one of the Grand Prize Winners of the Challenge.
• The Grand Prize Winners for The Food Waste Reduction Challenge – Streams A and B will be announced in Summer 2023.