Gen Z innovators win ‘Menu for Change’ challenge
Press Release : EIT Food, the Seeding The Future Foundation and the Young Professionals Platform have announced the winning teams of the Menu for Change Challenge
Young Changemakers revolutionising Europe's Food System
EIT Food, the Seeding The Future Foundation and the Young Professionals Platform have announced the winning teams of the Menu for Change Challenge, a competition designed for young changemakers with innovative ideas to revolutionise Europe’s food system.
EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
The challenge's implementation is youth led thanks to the Young Professionals Platform and the managing organizations YPARD, APPatEIT and EIT Food Alumni
Open to applicants aged 18-30, the Menu for Change Challenge aims to support young changemakers developing real-world solutions to address food system challenges.
Each of the winning projects aligns with at least one of six key priorities outlined in FutureFoodMakers’ Menu for Change Manifesto: Regenerative Farming; Clear & Accessible Food Labelling; Food Cost Inclusion; True Cost of Food; Food Waste Reduction and Food Education.
Congratulations to the 5 Winning Teams!
The five winning teams are:
- Anlarp's Agroecology Farm
- Agroboros Educational Programming
- Nutrifood Dehydrated Bean Products
- Greenovators Sustainable Cafeteria Sourcing
- The Menza Collective Sustainable Cafeteria Sourcing
The 5 winning teams of the challenge are represented by 15 individuals from 11 different countries, including six EU and five non-EU nations.
To bring their ideas to life, the winning teams will each receive €5,000 funding and professional mentorship as well as the opportunity to pitch their ideas at key conferences including EIT Food Next Bite 2025 and IFT FIRST Annual Event and Expo.
Editor's Note :
IFT First is the largest global food science and innovation expo in Chicago. Our Winners can connect with innovators, decision-makers and solution providers across every sector of food science and technology.
EIT Food Next Bite is our annual flagship event gathering gamechangers, world's leading innovators, thought leaders and pioneers in the agrifood sector.
“ EIT Food launched the FutureFoodMakers initiative in 2021 to ensure that the views of the next generation are heard during crucial discussions about the future of the food system. It has been an honour to see this programme grow and evolve, so that the demands of those original young changemakers are now supporting new young innovators to make an impact on our food system.These innovative solutions showcase the ambition of the younger generation to address our shared challenges, and we look forward to seeing how they will shake up our food system.”
Alnarp's Agroecology Farm (Sweden)
Student-run CSA farm, Based at SLU Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Sweden
Mariana Alejandra Rorero Gonzalez (F, Colombia), Marie-Claire Feller (F, Germany), Marie Ingrid Svedhem (F, Sweden)
Alnarp’s Agroecology Farm is a nonprofit organization focused on sustainable farming and community building. We provide a food system that connects consumers to local food, serving over 60 CSA customers and feeding around 100 families on 2,200 square meters. Our farm is a "living lab" for agroecological practices, offering internships, educational events, and partnerships with local businesses. We aim to inspire lasting change by making local, sustainable food accessible and fostering a resilient community.
Agroboros Educational Programming (Netherlands)
Educational programming during summer breaks for children, Students based at Wageningen University, Germany
Esteve Simon David Helias (M, France), Paula Daniela Orduz Ramos (F, Colombia), Sarah-Maria Scheid (F, Germany)
Agroboros addresses a critical gap: disconnect between youth and agriculture.
By offering immersive summer programs for children aged 3-10, we build lasting connections with rural and urban agroecology.
Our approach combines experiential learning with values-driven education, inspiring children to become active participants in sustainable food systems. Agroboros not only teaches about food production and environmental stewardship, but also nurtures children’s ecological identity and social-emotional intelligence, equipping them to be the guardians of a sustainable food future.
“We are honoured to partner with EIT Food in the FutureFoodMakers initiative and the Young Professionals Platform. Congratulations to the winning teams, who have successfully demonstrated innovative solutions to improve food systems to be more sustainable, less wasteful, and enabling food solutions that are more nutritious, affordable and trusted.”
Nutrifood Dehydrated Bean Products (Germany)
Dehydrated, cooked bean products
Enock Wasonga Omanga, Evance Odhiambo Ochola, and Joshua Ojwodhi Ouko (all M, Kenya)
Students based at the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan Triesdorf, Germany
Our project focuses on pre-cooked dehydrated beans as a plant-based alternative to animal proteins.
These beans provide a nutritious, convenient, and eco-friendly alternative to animal proteins. By sourcing from regenerative farms, NutriFood promotes soil nutrient management, carbon sequestration, and the transition to sustainable farming practices.
The planned next steps include finalizing sourcing agreements, developing robust production and packaging systems, and conducting consumer testing to refine the product. Additionally, clear labeling will highlight nutritional value, dietary suitability, and environmental impact.
Greenovators Sustainable Cafeteria Sourcing (Turkey)
Sustainable cafeteria sourcing in Turkey
Raife Kotzaoglan (F, Greece), Rajabi Armineh (F, Iran), Bilge Colak (F, Turkey)
The project targets the university cafeterias. We will turn university cafeterias into sustainable food catering spots, educate all cafeteria staff on the topic of sustainability and raise the awareness of students by actively engaging them into the action.
Our main goals are to enhance the knowledge and sensitivity of students on the topic of sustainable food while reducing the environmental impact of food catering processes.
We aim to create eco-friendly universities that will become an active learning site for students.
“At YPARD, we are dedicated to empowering young people to take an active role in shaping the future of our food systems. Through the Menu for Change Challenge, implemented in collaboration with our partners in the YPP, we ensure that this initiative is truly designed for young people, led by young people, and driven by our leadership and innovative thinking at every level. Together with the Seeding the Future Foundation, we are proud to build on the FutureFoodMakers initiative launched by EIT Food. The five winning teams bring diverse perspectives and fresh, groundbreaking solutions to some of the most pressing food system challenges, and we look forward to working alongside them to drive meaningful, lasting impact.”
The Menza Collective Sustainable Cafeteria Sourcing (Czechia)
Sustainable cafeteria sourcing in Germany and Czech Republic
Martin Richter (M, Czech Republic), Lisa Maike Buss (F, Portugal), Luisa Pereira Goss (F, Brasil)
Students based at University of Hohenheim and the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Our project aims to promote sustainable food procurement in university cafeterias by exploring how key institutional actors (students, staff, and faculty) perceive and construct sustainability.
Through interviews, we will capture diverse perspectives to understand how these views influence decision-making.
The study, conducted at CZU Prague, will uncover preferences and develop tailored action plans.
We will propose sustainability indicators, actionable steps for procurement contracts, and create a framework for sustainably procured menus, contributing to EIT Food’s mission for healthier, more resilient food systems.
About Seeding the Future Foundation
The Seeding the Future Foundation is a private, non-profit organization motivated by its core value that everyone should always have equitable access to safe, nutritious, affordable, appealing, and trusted food.
It seeks to inspire collaborative initiatives for innovative solutions that can help transform food systems to be more sustainable and benefit the health of people and the environment.
The Foundation provides seed funding and support to promising ideas and early but high impact innovations along the entire food value chain to improve food systems globally, technologies to reduce post-harvest losses or food waste, as well as foundational work in academia and research.
For more information, please visit seedingthefuture.org.
About YPARD
YPARD is an international movement by young professionals for young professionals in agricultural development. Our aim is to enable and empower young leaders across the world to shape and transform our agrifood systems. We advocate for a food system that is just and allows for the full participation of youth through mentorship and capacity building, policy working groups, publications, training programmes, webinars, and events.
YPARD is a non-profit association registered in Berlin, Germany. We operate as a global, regional, and local network. We have national chapters in over 65 countries, and a network reach of over 33000 young people.
Along with EIT Food Alumni and APPatEIT, YPARD is one of the founding members of EIT Food’s Young Professionals Platform.
For more information, please visit https://www.ypard.net/
In the News - Press Coverage
The news has been picked up by several media outlets. Please find below the links to all published articles.