The competition invited students and startups to develop and pitch innovative solutions aimed at tackling one of the world’s most pressing issues: food waste. Mimica’s winning solution, Bump, helps to reduce unnecessary waste from overcautious expiry dates. Available as a cap or tag, it shows the true longevity of food and drinks by responding to temperature changes and becoming bumpy when the food or drinks actually spoil. 

Solveiga Pakštaitė, Founder and Director of Mimica said: “It’s fantastic being selected as the winner today. As a business in the early stages of its journey, events like Lineage’s Food Chain Innovation Challenge, are vital. They support businesses like Mimica but also help to foster innovation that will genuinely help to solve issues like food waste.”

Along with Lineage’s Claire Walters, RVP of Lineage, the judging panel was made up of Simon Millard, Director of Food at FareShare; Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP; and Alexis Eyre, from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leaders at Cambridge University.   

ReLondon, an organisation focused on promoting and enabling circular economy practices in London also partnered with Lineage’s Food Chain Innovation Challenge to provide valuable insights and coaching as applicants refine their pitches. 

Mimica now has the chance to battle it out on a global stage to win an additional $50,000 and take part in Lineage’s tailored incubator programme to help them scale their solution. The grand final will take place virtually on December 2nd 2024 and will include the winners from London, Amsterdam and San Francisco.

A shocking 1.05 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally every year. This is enough to feed billions of hungry people. While millions go hungry, our planet also suffers from the environmental impact of food waste. The Food Chain Innovation Challenge underscores Lineage's commitment to driving innovation in the global food supply chain while also helping to address food waste and promote sustainable development.

Claire Walters, RVP of Lineage said: “At Lineage, we recognise the critical role our industry plays in addressing the food insecure and waste issue. It was an honour to serve as a judge for the UK’s inaugural Food Chain Innovation Challenge, an initiative established to champion the most promising talent and forward-thinking solutions in our field. Today’s participants exemplified our vision, presenting innovative solutions that align with Lineage’s mission to reduce food waste and drive sustainable practices.”

Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP shared: “The quality of today’s applicants has been so inspiring. We have seen solutions that can impact every part of the food chain, from the warehouse and packaging through to AI powered tools to help farmers or the public in their home. Food waste is such a major issue and while it’s on all of us to make a difference, it is positive to see large organisations like Lineage actively backing solutions. While there could only be one winner, I am certain that many of the individuals and solutions we have seen today will shape the future of food including cutting food waste.”

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