Powder-based food products making nutritious food affordable for all
Making healthy food accessible to all is among our primary goals at EIT Food, as many Europeans say are unable to afford a nutritious meal (1). The Affordable Nutrition ScaleUp Challenge tackles this problem head on and awards innovation and solutions-based thinking with investment and assistance from our experience and network.
Recognising the need for innovation
Affordable nutritious food should be available for all consumers, yet it is not possible in the current industry infrastructure and food technology. At EIT Food our goal is to support and nurture the innovations that will drive change around these issues and provide healthy, affordable and sustainably sourced food at scale. It is a challenge that consists of not just price points for consumers, but costs and efficiency across the supply chain, from raw ingredient sourcing through to longevity of product and ingredients.
One solution is to support powder-based food solutions as a pathway to creating affordable, sustainable, and nutritious food products. Powder based ingredients, such as flour, spices and proteins, are a common part of our diets, because they allow for consistent and high-quality production. Combine this with the ability to produce in bulk and transport easily and the result is a cost-efficient production, making powder-based food an accessible and practical choice for both consumers and business.
Affordable Nutrition ScaleUp Challenge
To tackle the challenge of providing nutritious food that is accessible and affordable, EIT Food established the Affordable Nutrition ScaleUp Challenge in 2023. The competition focused on finding and nurturing healthy and sustainable solutions that use the advantages of powder formulation in their product.
Start-ups and scale-ups with a technology readiness level (TRL) of 6 and above were invited to apply. Phase 1 of the challenge saw 10 winners from across Europe receive services worth €25,000 to go from ‘idea to market’. They worked under the guidance and expertise of EIT Food partner Blendhub to build each enterprise into a viable business plan with a structured development timeline to achieve market readiness. Each innovation was showcased through a functional prototype.
Four innovations leading the way
From the winners of Phase 1, four projects have been selected to move into Phase 2. This next phase of work provides up to €250,000 to allow for scale to reach market.
- Circular Food Tech, Agrain: Utilising brewers’ spent grain as a key ingredient for artisan bread.
- Fabumin: Drying aquafaba into a powder form to create vegan whipping cream.
- Alver: Developing a high-protein ingredient from chlorella for vegan cheese.
- Rebread: Transforming koji flour into a sustainable option for bread.
"The phase 2 of the Affordable Nutrition ScaleUp Challenge has been a remarkable journey of innovation and collaboration. It has empowered startups to scale their solutions while addressing critical challenges in sustainability, nutrition, and affordability. The success stories we’ve seen—ranging from breakthrough product development to strong partnerships—are a testament to the power of collective effort and vision. We’re proud to support these projects and look forward to seeing their products reach the market."
Driving change for affordable food
Through the Affordable Nutrition ScaleUp Challenge promising enterprises gain access to expertise, investment and industry partners who can guide and help companies to scale. From supporting startups with funding and guidance to helping scale transformative ideas, EIT Food is working towards the next generation of food innovations with its expertise and network.
As these projects move closer to market readiness, they bring us a step closer to a future where nutritious food is accessible to all, proving that sustainable practices and affordability can go hand in hand.
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