Hello and Happy Friday fellow YODL’ers!
You’re seeing it here first, we are releasing our third Food Innovation Challenge on the theme: Plastics Solutions for Foods: Reduction, Replacement, and Recyclability.
You may have seen some of our content lately on the challenge and opportunity the sector faces as it addresses single use plastics across the sector, I’ve linked them below just in case you have not.
- EXPLAINED: Canada's plastic problem
- EXPLAINED: The Canada Plastics Pact
- Guest Blog: Packaging Misconceptions Unwrapped
- CFIN survey on plastics use in the food industry: Top five key learnings
- Challenge: Auditing your operations and moving towards a circular economy for plastics (Part I)
As a result of these challenges and the advancements in the science of sustainable materials, CFIN is launching a call dedicated to the research, development, and demonstration of plastic alternatives which will allow for the enhanced recyclability or industrial composting of food related plastics. Respondents to the call must:
- Propose an innovative solution that improves the recyclability and recovery of single use and non-durable plastics from packaging, manufacturing, shipping, or foodservice.
- OR Propose an innovative solution to improve the sustainability of plastics through the integration of bioplastics or bio-based solutions that meet industrial composting certifications (ASTM D6400 or D6868).
Key program priorities include solutions that are:
- Compatible with existing processes in food manufacturing and retail;
- Have potential to scale nationally;
- Work in various climatic conditions and for various food products; and,
- In packaging applications, has potential to meet or exceed shelf-life standards for existing options.
Projects that do not align with any of the priorities above are not eligible for this call for proposals. You can see the full Applicant Guide here, and it will be posted on our website on Monday.
To be considered for funding, all applications must:
- Be undertaken by an industry-led collaboration consisting of a Lead Applicant and Partners that are incorporated in Canada and are members of CFIN;
- Involve the participation of at least one Small- or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME). A SME is a business with 499 or fewer employees and less than $50 million in gross revenues;
- Involve the participation of at least two independent private sector companies; and,
- Conduct research and development at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1 to 7. Projects including TRL 8 and 9 components will only be considered if they are part of a project that also includes a TRL 1 to 7 (see the Program Guide for a fulsome description of the TRLs).
What is a requirement of the Collaboration?
Each project requires shared goals and a financial investment by all partners. A collaboration or consortia is made up of multiple, unaffiliated organizations who are partnering to achieve an innovative solution. Generally, partners are all incurring costs as part of the project and may be sharing background intellectual property with other collaborators to achieve the proposed project objectives.
The call will open to letters of intent on September 1st, 2022, closing on October 11th 2022.
We have two upcoming info sessions for you:
August 22, 12-1PM EST - English Registration
August 23, 12-1PM EST - French Registration
#foodinnovationchallenge
#funding
#plastics