The Rethinking Materials Summit has announced a new Global Innovation Challenge in partnership with Kraft Heinz, aiming to identify innovative solutions for more sustainable food packaging. The initiative is open to start-ups, academics, and entrepreneurs worldwide who are developing innovative, recyclable, or compostable materials suitable for the food sector.
The challenge focuses on flexible food packaging that is recyclable or compostable, durable, and user-friendly. The winning project will have the opportunity to be developed with the support of Kraft Heinz's research and development teams, who will collaborate with the winner to transform the idea into a viable solution for the company's packaging portfolio.
An International Stage for Innovation
On 16 April, three finalists will be selected and invited to present their projects in front of a global audience of manufacturers, consumer goods brands, and investors at the Rethinking Materials Summit, taking place on 13-14 May 2025 at the Hilton London Bankside.
The winner will be announced on 13 May and will gain access to technical expertise, regulatory guidance, and industry know-how from Kraft Heinz’s Global Innovation team, with the potential to accelerate the development of their project.
Kraft Heinz: Collaboration for a More Sustainable Future in Packaging
Commenting on the initiative, Linda Roman, Director of Packaging at Kraft Heinz and North America R&D Fellow, said:
We’re excited to partner with Rethinking Materials for this Innovation Challenge. At Kraft Heinz, we know collaboration is the key to unlocking solutions for the future of packaging, especially when we’re thinking about all the requirements that food packaging must address: safety of the product, consumer use preferences and options for disposal or reuse once the product has been enjoyed. We’re excited to see the innovative solutions start-ups will bring to the table and look forward to supporting them in creating a more sustainable future for food.
How to Participate
Interested participants can join a virtual Q&A session with Linda Roman on 5 February via LinkedIn, where she will provide insights into the selection criteria, the latest trends in material innovation, and the opportunities presented by the Challenge.
Applications are open to organisations developing solutions that are compatible with plastic recycling, paper recycling, or industrial composting. Priority will be given to projects that are already approved for direct food contact under FDA 21CFR/EFSA FCM regulations or that can obtain such certification by 2026. Special consideration will be given to companies with proof of concept and prototypes.
