CONNECTING THE CHAIN INCREASING CIRCULARITY IN UPSTREAM FOOD SYSTEMS - COIL CIRCULATE COLAB CHALLENGE
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Connecting the chain Increasing circularity in upstream food systems COIL Circulate CoLab Challenge
Contents
What is COIL?..................................................................................................................1
The opportunity ............................................................................................................2
Disrupting wasteful linear food chains
with circular innovations .........................................................................................2
But where does the most food loss and waste happen?..................3
Food Material Flow Analysis...................................................................................4
COIL Circulate CoLab Challenge........................................................................5
COIL Circulate CoLab Challenge #1:
Circularity in the food processing and manufacturing chain.........6
Timeline................................................................................................................................10
For more information..................................................................................................10
Frequently asked questions..................................................................................11
Accessible formats available by contacting
519-822-1260 extension 3671 or TTY 519-826-9771.
COIL • Connecting the chain: Increasing circularity in upstream food systems
What is COIL? Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad (COIL) is an innovation platform and activation network fostering, proving and scaling transformative solutions to move Canada toward a sustainable, circular economy. COIL is doing this through business incubation, acceleration and collaboration programs, innovation challenges, and large-scale demonstration projects. COIL is a circular economy initiative of the City of Guelph in collaboration with the County of Wellington and community collaborators. COIL is funded by the Federal Development Agency for Southern Ontario. Projects across southern Ontario are eligible for funding under COIL. COIL • Circulate CoLab Challenge 1
The opportunity
Disrupting wasteful linear food Food Recovery Hierarchy
chains with circular innovations Reduce waste at the source
Mo
st P
The food system is foundational to our society. It feeds us and Find new value for by-products
ref
err
provides jobs for millions of Canadians across a complex and
ed
interconnected supply chain. Food production, processing and Support food security programs
consumption directly tie each of us to our environment, and
Feed livestock
food is a central component of our social and cultural lives.
Our current food system is predominantly designed around a Industrial uses
linear make-take-dispose model, which relies on the constant
Composting
input of virgin materials, with relatively little reuse or revalorization
Lea
st P
of materials or byproducts after their initial use. This linear Landfill
(last
ref
system is wasteful, has negative impacts for our environment resort)
err
and, as the global population grows, is unsustainable.
ed
Presently, 58 per cent1 of all food produced in Canada is lost or
wasted while 17 per cent2 of Canadians report not always having While complex, the food system is also ideally structured to be
access to enough food. The estimated value of avoidable food redesigned around circular economy principles. When food and
loss and waste in the processing and manufacturing segment organic waste is diverted from landfill, innovative processes
alone is approximately $21 billion annually.3 Globally the food can turn those materials into energy, nutrients for agriculture,
system is responsible for approximately 26 per cent4 of global animal feed or new consumer products.
greenhouse-gas emissions.
1,2,3,4 Nikkel, L., Maguire, M., Gooch, M., Bucknell, D., LaPlain, D., Dent, B., Whitehead, P., Felfel, A. (2019). The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste: Roadmap; Second Harvest
and Value Chain Management International; Ontario, Canada.
2 COIL • Connecting the chain: Increasing circularity in upstream food systemsBut where does the most food loss and waste happen? While consumers and retail generate a significant amount of food loss and waste, a recent food material flow analysis in Guelph and Wellington County found that the vast majority of food loss and waste occurs upstream during production, processing and manufacturing activities.5 In Guelph and Wellington, over 31 kilotons6 of food are lost during storage and packaging, and over 23 kilotons7 are planned processing loss (i.e. byproducts or coproducts that typically end up in landfill). Food loss and waste is a systems issue. Ingrained economic incentives and cultural attitudes across the supply and consumption chains have created the current, wasteful status quo. To change this, we need system-level solutions that disrupt linear practices and make the business case for why the future economy needs to be circular. 5,6,7 Food and Food Waste Flow Study; Dillon Consulting and Metabolic, 2021. COIL • Circulate CoLab Challenge 3
Food Material Flow Analysis
PRODUCTION PROCESSING MANUFACTURING DISTRIBUTION RETAIL/WHOLESALE HOUSEHOLDS HOUSEHOLDS WASTE GUELPH-WELLINGTON
(229.96 ktons) (188.26 ktons) (153.08 ktons) (138.62 ktons) (88.17 ktons) (83.56 ktons) COLLECTION END OF LIFE
(19.3 ktons) (35.8 ktons)
19.7 ktons 18.6 ktons
29.5 ktons
38.7 ktons 31.0 ktons
Fruits - Excluding 14.5 ktons 13.5 ktons
Wine (51.2 ktons) Households avoidable Households Separated
waste (13.0 ktons) Organic Waste (10.4 ktons) Composting
12.3 ktons 11.7 ktons (10.4 ktons)
21.0 ktons Households
24.7 ktons Households MSW
10.3 ktons 19.0 ktons unavoidable waste
(8.9 ktons)
6.3 ktons)
37.4 ktons 9.9 ktons 9.6 ktons
18.5 ktons
9.1 ktons 8.6 ktons
Cereals - Excluding 19.5 ktons 4.6 ktons 4.5 ktons
Beer (44.4 ktons) 3.2 ktons 3.0 ktons
15.5 ktons
LOCAL BUSINESSES FOOD
23.5 ktons 18.8 ktons WASTE (16.5 ktons)
15.0 ktons Retail/Wholesale/
Distribution Waste
Vegetables (7.6 ktons)
(32.2 ktons) 17.4 ktons 13.7 ktons
22.3 ktons
HRI avoidable Landfill
7.1 ktons (25.4 ktons)
HOTELS,RESTAURANTS, waste (6.4 ktons)
Starchy Roots 17.3 ktons 14.4 ktons AND INSTITUTES
(23.7 ktons) 4.8 ktons
(47.48 ktons) HRI unavoidable
7.2 ktons 3.1 ktons waste (2.5 ktons)
10.0 ktons 1%
1% 2%
17.3 ktons 2%
2.9 ktons 7.3 ktons 2% 2%
Meat (23.4 ktons) 5.2 ktons 6.2 ktons 4%
7.4 ktons 2.1 ktons 8% 27%
5.4 ktons 5%
3.5 ktons Cereals - Excluding Beer Treenuts 34%
1.8 ktons 5.1 ktons
4.7 ktons Fruits - Excluding Wine Pulses 12% 10%
Milk - Excluding 6.9 ktons Vegetables Spices
3.2 ktons 1.4 ktons Avoidable Unavoidable
Butter (18.7 ktons) Starchy Roots Eggs
3.5 ktons Meat Animal fats 24%
2.2 ktons 1.2 ktons 16%
Vegetable Oils Fish, Seafood 17% 15% 26%
Vegetable Oils 3.3 ktons Milk - Excluding Butter Sugar & Sweeteners 22%
1.9 ktons 1.0 ktons
(8.8 ktons) Stimulants Oilcrops
2.4 ktons
Sugar & Sweeteners 1.6 ktons 0.1 ktons
(7.5 ktons) 2.3 ktons
WITHIN GUELPH-WELLINGTON
1.3 ktons
Eggs (3.7 ktons)
2.3 ktons
Animal fats (3.5 ktons) 1.2 ktons
1.8 ktons
Stimulants (3.2 ktons) 1.5 ktons 0.1 ktons
Treenuts (2.7 ktons) 0.2 ktons
Fish & Seafood Manuf. planned Loss
(2.5 ktons) (8.2 ktons)
Pulses (2.0 ktons) Manuf. unplanned and post-
processing loss (6.2 ktons) SUPPLY CHAIN
Spices (2.0 ktons) END OF LIFE
Processing planned (91.3 ktons)
Oil crops (0.2 ktons) loss (23.1 ktons) 1%1%
4%
Unplanned and post- 4% 25%
processing loss (12.1 ktons) 9%
Unknown (likely
Supply landfill) (91.3 ktons)
11% Chain Food
Waste
Storage/packaging 24%
loss (31.2 ktons) 15%
Production loss
(10.5 ktons)
4 COIL • Connecting the chain: Increasing circularity in upstream food systemsCOIL Circulate CoLab Challenge
By 2024, COIL will fund five industrial-scale circular economy At the end of the twelve week process, teams will pitch their
demonstration projects in the food and environment tested idea to our evaluation board for the potential to receive
sectors. We’re looking for projects that create new circular up to $100,000 in additional project funding to scale their
collaborations between organizations and that test, prove solution as one of five industrial-scale demonstration projects.
and scale innovative, circular supply chain models capable of
We’re looking for teams of companies that want to be Canadian
transforming an industry, or even creating new ones.
circular economy leaders. Beyond project funding and mentorship,
To find projects capable of disrupting the status quo, COIL participants in the Circulate CoLab will be promoted across
is holding three Circulate CoLab innovation challenges. Each the COIL and Our Food Future networks, including at national
challenge will focus on a different segment of the supply chain and international forums. Lessons learned from each CoLab
in either the food or environment sectors. prototype and demonstration project will be documented and
shared to help expand Canada’s circular economy.
We are looking for teams of three to seven companies or
organizations to propose ideas for how they would work
together to reduce waste and emissions, increase productivity
and shift a typically linear business model toward a circular
approach that’s environmentally and financially sustainable
over the long term.
From the applications received, three teams will be invited
to participate in the Circulate CoLab (CoLab), a twelve week
process that gives each team access to up to $20,000 in
funding to research, test and prototype their idea along with
support from mentors and circular economy experts across
COIL’s urban-rural testbed.
COIL • Circulate CoLab Challenge 5COIL Circulate CoLab Challenge #1:
Circularity in the food processing and manufacturing chain
This challenge focuses on the components of the food We want to know if you have a:
system between production and consumption: processing
• Waste-reduction idea that will improve the current
and manufacturing, distribution and foodservice, grocery and
Canadian food system,
hospitality. Sixty-one per cent8 of the food produced in Canada
is lost or wasted along these three segments. • Food-loss prevention innovation that will provide a long-
term benefit,
• New use for the excess, lost or wasted organic material
along your supply chain,
• Better way to connect those who have food waste with
those who can use it,
• New process to make recyclable packaging using organic
matter that would otherwise go to waste, and/or
• New process or technology that improves food use
predictability in large institutions.
How can your team work with new technologies, partners,
business models or processes to reduce avoidable food waste
and/or generate new value or products from organic materials
(i.e. unavoidable food waste, byproducts/co-products) that
would otherwise be end-of-life?
8 Nikkel, L., Maguire, M., Gooch, M., Bucknell, D., LaPlain, D., Dent, B., Whitehead, P., Felfel, A. (2019). The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste: Roadmap; Second Harvest and
Value Chain Management International; Ontario, Canada.
6 COIL • Connecting the chain: Increasing circularity in upstream food systemsChallenge process and application
Step 1: Determine eligibility Step 2: Apply
Our food-system challenge is open to all Canadian All applications must be submitted through COIL’s central
entrepreneurs and organizations (for-profit or not-for-profit). It application portal.
doesn’t matter if your current work is focused within the food
You will be asked to provide:
system or not. Ideas can be inspired from any industry, sector
or system. • a high-level outline of the problem the project team is trying
to solve,
All demonstration projects that receive funding must be
located in southern Ontario.9 • the proposed solution,
• the anticipated impacts of the solution (e.g. volume of waste
We strongly encourage and value submissions from businesses
diverted, carbon emissions avoided, jobs created, etc.),
owned by women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and
people with disabilities. • how the solution could be tested and prototyped within a
twelve-week window and anticipated impacts of the prototype,
• a pathway for how a validated prototype approach could be
scaled at least five times if selected as a full demonstration
project,
• background details and experience of the collaborators,
• proposed matching contribution from project team at the
prototype/demonstration project phases (cash and in-kind),
and
• any additional areas of consideration (e.g., partnerships with
post-secondary institutions, anticipated intellectual property
or jobs created, social impacts, etc.).
Applications must be received by Friday, October 15, 2021.
9 Note: Non-Canadian organizations are eligible to participate as members of CoLab project teams; however, per FedDev Ontario funding guidelines, all project funding
must be primarily directed towards Canadian enterprises. While some project elements could be located elsewhere, project elements receiving funding must be primarily
located in southern Ontario.
COIL • Circulate CoLab Challenge 7Step 3: Evaluation Step 4: Circular Innovation CoLab (prototyping)
Each submission will be evaluated by an experienced review panel Three teams will be selected to participate in an twelve-week
based on a range of criteria aimed at identifying projects that can Circular Innovation CoLab where they will:
have a significant and long-term impact on the food system.
• Receive $20,000 in project funding to expand and
Evaluation criteria: prototype their solution,
• Proposal Innovation: novelty of the approach, use of • Have access to mentoring, circular economy training and
technology, outside-the-box collaborations networking,
• Suitability for the CoLab Challenge Process: project • Receive support and connections from across COIL’s
feasibility within allotted time/budget, experience, fiscal and Urban-Rural Test-Bed Network, and
innovation capacity of project proponents • Prepare a pitch-presentation to compete for up to
• Potential Economic Impact: realistic immediate pathway $100,000 in additional funding.
to scaling to demonstration project, potential for new jobs, During the CoLab process, each team will work with COIL
products or intellectual property advisors who will provide guidance and contacts to help the
• Potential Impact on the Industry: increased productivity, team increase the impact of their project and better position it
sustainability of business model, scalability/replicability of for the final pitch.
approach, potential to influence systems change Those accepted to participate in our Circulate CoLab will be
• Potential Environmental Impacts: impact of waste and/or notified no later than end of business on Friday, October 29, 2021.
emissions reduction or prevention
• Potential Social Impacts: potential for social benefits;
diversity and inclusion opportunities
8 COIL • Connecting the chain: Increasing circularity in upstream food systemsStep 5: Final pitch Step 6: Demonstration project (project scaling)
Following the twelve-week CoLab process, teams will pitch Over the next 12 months, the winning team will work with COIL
their solution and prototype to an expert evaluation committee. to embed their refined solution into their broader supply chain,
At least one team will be selected to receive up to $100,000 showcasing how it will positively and practically affect long-
in additional project funding to expand their solution into an term change through a demonstration project.
industrial-scale demonstration project.
All funded demonstration projects are intended to showcase
Projects not selected as full demonstration projects may still the real-world business potential of the circular economy.
have the opportunity for additional project funding under COIL Funding recipients will be expected to support a reasonable
on a case-by-case basis depending on the success of the range of communications activities to highlight the project and
prototype and specific requirements of the project. promote the circular economy.
COIL • Circulate CoLab Challenge 9Timeline
2021 2022 2023
A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F
Call for Submissions
August 25 to October 15, 2021
Semi-finalists announced
October 29, 2021
Circulate CoLab
November 08, 2021 to January 21, 2022
Pitch week
January 24 to 28, 2022
Finalist announced
January 28, 2022
Demonstration project
February 07, 2022 to February 03, 2023
For more information
coil.eco/colab
info@coil.eco
10 COIL • Connecting the chain: Increasing circularity in upstream food systemsFrequently asked questions
I have a great idea but I haven’t found two were able to demonstrate through the CoLab prototype. We
hope and anticipate teams will include a mix of large, medium
other partners who want to participate.
and small enterprises and/or not-for-profits. Teams of only small
Can I still submit an application? businesses can absolutely apply; however, small enterprises, like
To develop projects capable of reaching industrial scale, we require all participants, will need to demonstrate a realistic pathway to
between three to seven businesses or not-for-profit organizations. scale the impact of their CoLab prototype at least five times.
If you have an idea, but are unable to find collaborators, please
contact our COIL team (info@coil.eco) to see if we can help.
What is the expected time commitment
for organizations participating in the
What if I operate a closed-loop supply CoLab process?
chain already? Time commitments will depend on the nature of each project
If you have a highly closed-loop supply chain that you want and structure of the project team and collaborators. Our
to innovate, please email us to discuss your project idea. CoLab will kick off with a one-day onboarding session which
Exceptions may be possible if there is strong potential for an will establish the workplan for each team, including timelines
interesting project with potential to scale. We may also be able for developing a project budget. Beyond the onboarding, COIL
to connect you with potential partners. will coordinate regular one-hour calls with each team over the
twelve-week process.
How do you define “industrial-scale”
demonstration projects? Is this just How can the innovation challenge and
aimed at large businesses or can groups demonstration project funds be used?
of small businesses apply? Prototype ($20,000) and demonstration project (up to
$100,000) funds can be used only for eligible activities and
We are looking to help create solutions or business models that
costs, such as research, hiring consultants or experts, product
can scale to transform an industry or supply chain. We have
creation and design, development or implementation of new
loosely defined “industrial-scale” to mean projects that are able
technologies, purchasing of new equipment, labour, and many
to realistically achieve at least five times the impact at scale they
COIL • Circulate CoLab Challenge 11other categories. Each team will work with a COIL advisor to Do projects or all project components
review their proposed expenditures and ensure they meet our
eligibility criteria at the start of the process.
need to be located in southern Ontario?
Projects must be primarily located in southern Ontario. While
Are there requirements for matching some project elements/collaborators across a supply chain
contributions from project team may be located outside of Ontario, all project funding must be
members? primarily spent for components in southern Ontario. Please
contact our COIL team (info@coil.eco) if you have a specific
Participating organizations are not required to provide matching scenario you would like to discuss.
contributions. However, COIL aims to develop solutions that
can be scaled and make a significant impact, and matching Who will own project intellectual property?
contributions can help broaden that impact. Therefore, our
Participating businesses will own all IP coming out of COIL
application form and final CoLab pitches ask for details on
CoLab prototypes and demonstration projects. As these
participant company contributions (cash and/or in kind), which
projects will be collaborations between multiple businesses, it
may factor in project selection.
will be the responsibility of those businesses to agree on which
Can multinational companies participate IP elements belong to each project participant.
or is this only for Canadian-owned
companies?
Multinational companies can participate in project teams;
however, project funding must be primarily directed to Canadian-
owned firms. Please contact our COIL team (info@coil.eco) if you
have a specific scenario you’d like to discuss.
12 COIL • Connecting the chain: Increasing circularity in upstream food systemsCOIL • Circulate CoLab Challenge
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