The seven finalists for the sustainability and innovation award 100% Circular have been selected. This year's finalists represent a variety of project ideas for sustainable development and circular economy in the restaurant industry. The winners will be revealed in December.
100% Circular is a future-oriented sustainability award- and innovation program that aims to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy and a sustainable restaurant industry.
In August, an invitation went out to the entire restaurant industry asking them to submit their ideas for projects. During the autumn, a jury of experts has worked on selecting finalists, and the winning projects will be revealed in December. The top proposals will get the opportunity to realize their projects with innovation support during the spring of 2022.
For this year's edition of 100% Circular, about 30 ideas were submitted, from Southern Sweden and Gothenburg to Gotland, Stockholm and Jämtland. All the proposed projects concern sustainable and circular thinking in restaurants – but each have their own focus, such as packaging design, business models, urban cultivation, food waste and digitalization.
To win the award and benefit from the innovation support, the project must be relevant to the global sustainability goals and be scalable and measurable. It should also have great potential for impact – thereby spreading the influence of the project to the rest of the restaurant industry as well as to consumers throughout the global food system.
These seven project ideas were judged by the jury to best meet the 100% Circular criteria. The nominees are listed below in no particular order:
- Turnkey beverage factories in miniature - Wayout
A combined water treatment plant and microbrewery that reduces the climate footprint of beverages by reducing the need for transport in bottles and other packaging.
- Food waste becomes interior design - Carolina Härdh
Oyster shells, mussel shells and fish bones collected from restaurants and suppliers create a material that can be shaped into various interior details such as chairs, tables, and design crafts.
- Sustainable beverage packaging for restaurants - Dryckesbutiken
A recyclable disposable barrel for drinks, partly made from recycled material. Compared to glass in particular, the disposable container leads to a radically reduced carbon footprint from transport.
- Natural cleaning for restaurants - Lisa Lönner Pulkkinen
An easily accessible range of cleaning products for restaurants and commercial kitchens with natural ingredients.
- Local agriculture for delivery to restaurants - Klara Hansson, Gothenburg City
A well-documented and functional system for cultivating marginal lands to deliver large volumes of vegetables to public kitchens and private restaurants in the area.
- AI for networks of small-scale restaurants and growers – Flammans Skafferi
A model for creating several local networks of smaller restaurants and small-scale growers to increase their competitiveness and financial stability with the help of shared data and AI.
- Frozen ready-made food made from food waste - Sopköket
A product line for consumers with frozen ready-made food made from rescued ingredients from grocery stores and restaurants.
The next steps:
In mid-December, the jury will select the three winning entries, and in January, innovation support will be provided for implementation in the spring of 2022. The lessons learned from the projects are followed up and published in articles to inspire more people in the restaurant industry to switch to a circular economy.
100% Circular was established in 2016 by White Guide and Stockholm Gas. The sustainability award is being developed into an innovation program in collaboration with Electrolux Professional and The Absolut Company together with representatives from the research and innovation sector.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Previous winners of 100% Circular:
• 2020/2021 Oaxen Krog, Rosendals Trädgård & Gunnebo Slott
• 2018/2019 Kalf & Hansen
• 2016/2017 Restaurant Volt
This is how 100% Circular works
Registration for the annual competition takes place during the autumn. In November, a number of finalists will be chosen by an expert jury. In December, the final winners will be presented. They will recieve six months of innovation support to take the next step and realize their project ideas.
100% Circular Jury:
• Per Styregård, Chairman of the jury, contributing writer and editor at White Guide and 12 Forward, DI Weekend and ICON Magazine.
• Jessica Engelbrecht, Communications Manager Stockholm Gas.
• Viktoria Roos, Leader for open innovation at Electrolux Professional.
• Ulrika Brydling, Chef and sustainability expert.
• Sofia B Olsson, Owner and chef Restaurant Vrå, named Sustainability Innovator of the Year 2018.
• Johan Gottberg - Sustainable Chef of the Year 2014, founder of the Restaurant Lab and K-märkt.
• Ingela Wickman Bois, Strategic advisor circular business development and innovation, Exeter Executive Business School & Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
• Jens Thulin, Small-scale farmer and co-founder of the digital marketplace Mylla Mat.
100% Circular Advisory Board:
The jury has access to experts in circular economy, sustainable development and special areas depending of the nature of the ideas. The Advisory Board is continuously supplemented with specific competence.
• Emma Troedsson, Business Developer Ideon Innovation.
• Britta Florén, Senior consultant on sustainable production and consumption and expert on the environmental impact of food, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.
• Lina Andersson Fasth, Business and project manager meal development, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.
• Jesper Johansson, CEO, Restaurangakademien.
• Jennie Walther, Nordic Marketing Manager, Electrolux Professional.
• Karin Ekroth, Sustainability & Corporate Communications, The Absolut Company.
• Rune Kalf Hansen, Owner and chef, Kalf & Hansen.
• Paul Svensson, Paul Taylor Lanthandel.
• Dheeraj Singh, Indian Street Food with a focus on sustainability.
• Fredrik Johnsson - Chairman Exceptionell Råvara, former owner and chef at restaurant Volt.
• Nidal Kersh, Restaurateur and owner of Falafelbaren and Pita.
• Erik Brandsma, CEO Sveaskog, former Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency and Head of Sustainability at the UN.
• Fia Gulliksson, Sustainability entrepreneur, Food In Action.
100% Circular is a future-oriented sustainability award and innovation programme that actively promotes and supports renewal projects from idea to realisation during six months. The lessons learned from the projects are followed-up and published in articles in order to inspire more restaurants to innovate and transition to the circular economy. The award was established in 2016 by White Guide and Stockholm Gas and is further developed into an innovation programme with Electrolux Professional and The Absolut Company in collaboration with representatives from the research and academy sector.
