Circular Food Innovation Lab

• Explore ways to risk-proof your business and increase profits by reducing costs related to food waste. 
• Learn from fellow food businesses tackling similar challenges.
• Access free expertise, tools, and services to reduce food waste. 
• Learn ways to adjust to rapid change and uncertainty.
• Inform future policies to prevent and reduce wasted food in Vancouver’s food supply chain. 
• Develop innovative food waste solutions that show leadership in your industry.
• Contribute to the formation of an industry led taskforce to solve wasted food in Vancouver.

• Adhere to COVID-19 safety measures.
• Attend three in-person or virtual large group sessions to develop food waste solutions and collaborate with other businesses.
• Test and revise food waste solutions at one or more of your business locations. This includes support from a design team visiting one of your locations to develop solutions and measure progress.
• Encourage staff and managers to participate in the project and to collaborate with the solutions design team and fellow businesses.

Information icon All participants will decide what is shared publicly from the lab.

Documents to be signed

• Mutual confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement PDF file (197 KB)
• Permission and release form PDF file (469 KB)
• Research consent form PDF file (146 KB)

The application will take 15-20 minutes to complete. Your answers will not be saved if you exit the form before submitting.

Before you begin the application, ensure you have:

1. An understanding of your business’ commitment to sustainability and practices that reduce and measure wasted food or shrink.
2. Knowledge of the types of businesses and organizations you buy from and sell to (names are not necessary).
3. An understanding of how other departments across your business could be involved in this project and the time and resources your business is able to contribute.
4. The authorization to agree to share information and data related to food and food waste as part of the project’s research needs.
   • A Mutual Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement will be signed by selected participants and the design team.
   • Selected participants will direct what information can be shared outside of the project. 

All applicants will be contacted, and a limited number of applicants will be selected to participate in the project. Recruitment will be ongoing and there may be an opportunity to join the lab at a later date if you are not selected for the initial cohort. 

Participants will be selected to ensure that the project has broad representation across the supply chain.

Selection criteria will include:

• Location 
• Supply chain segment
• Size of business
• The business’ interest in sustainability and zero waste
• Contribution to ethno-cultural diversity reflecting Vancouver’s communities
• Fit with other business applicants

Information icon The initial due date for business applications is Wednesday, April 13, 2022.

We will continue to accept applications until spaces are filled and on a rolling basis during the 10 month project.