“CEFoodCycle” Award Presented

Circular Economy Against Food Waste

More than one billion tons of food are wasted worldwide each year, according to a United Nations study. This amounts to almost one-fifth of global production. The EU project Interreg Alpine Space CEFoodCycle, led by FH Salzburg, addresses this issue, with the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (Department of Business Administration / Marketing) also participating for the Salzburg region. The international research project advocates for measures against food waste. As part of the project, the CEFoodCycle Award was presented to companies pursuing new ideas in the food circular economy.

“The international and interdisciplinary project CEFoodCycle aims to connect stakeholders in the food sector and support them on the path towards a circular economy. For this reason, we established the CEFoodCycle Award to showcase flagship projects in the Alpine region to a broad audience,” explains Eva Lienbacher, who leads the entire project from FH Salzburg, Department Business & Tourism. Companies, start-ups, and initiatives planning or already implementing a project in the food sector to reduce food waste could participate in the award. A total of 35 projects from the five participating partner countries (Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and France) were submitted. A winner was selected from each country, and the award ceremony took place on May 22, 2024, at the Hofburg in Brixen, South Tyrol.

Christine Vallaster from the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg explains: “Together with our partners, we are establishing so-called ‘Circular Food Hubs’ in the Salzburg-Bavaria area. At CEFoodCycle, efforts towards a circular economy in the food sector are consolidated. Potentials are identified to find the best approaches to reduction and promote sustainable practices in the food sector. For our Marketing unit, the circular economy is one of our core topics, with questions about how marketing changes in its understanding in the context of ecological transformation. Therefore, CEFoodCycle is an extremely important project for us.”

The winners of the CEFoodCycle Award are:

Austria and Germany, Circular Food Hub Salzburg-Bavaria: The winner is the company Stiegl, which, in collaboration with easyVEGAN, produces meat substitutes from natural spent grain.
Italy, Circular Food Hub Alto Adige: Garum Project. The start-up produces a sustainable, healthy seasoning ingredient for gastronomy and industry through the fermentation of by-products.
Italy, Circular Food Hub Piemonte: The Horizon 2020 project FUSILLI aims to transform the urban food system through the implementation of Innovative Living Labs.
Slovenia, Circular Food Hub Gorenjska: The winner is Souvenir L.t.d. House Linhart, which ensures that all ingredients are used and composted in the tourism sector.
France, Circular Food Hub Alpes-Maritimes: The winner is the startup Tripluch, a digital platform promoting the reuse of organic waste.