TESCO and the WWF have been pairing sustainability focused start-ups with food and drink businesses.
The Innovation Connections programme sees the supermarket and wildlife charity offer funding support to start-ups creating new and sustainable supply chain technologies.
Applicants to the scheme have been paired with long-term Tesco suppliers to pitch projects that could be scaled up to support the food supply chain.
The chosen winners will get the opportunity to pilot and scale their technology with Tesco suppliers. They will also receive £150,000 in funding support. The winners had not yet been announced as Scottish Grocer went to press.
Ahead of the programme’s final round of judging, Tesco called for the UK Government to do more to “unlock innovation” in the food supply chain.
The supermarket called for the government to set out timelines and a process for updating what it described as “outdated regulations” that “hinder” the scaling up of innovations such as insect protein in animal feed.
Ken Murphy, chief executive of Tesco Group, said: “To deliver affordable, healthy and sustainable food for all, the entire food sector must innovate fast.
“That’s why, as well as driving improvements in our own operations, Tesco is collaborating with innovative suppliers and start-ups.”
• Tesco and WWF have been working together on projects since 2018.
