Redefining food: Gen Z tackles waste as sustainability and protein innovations proliferate

Modern food systems feed billions but drive significant environmental strain, accounting for over one-fifth of all climate impacts in the EU, according to the European Environment Agency. To tackle this crisis, EIT Food called on young innovators to create “real-world solutions,” to improve the food systems to be more sustainable, resilient, and less wasteful.

Food Ingredients First goes behind the scenes with the Gen Z winners of EIT’s Menu for Change Challenge, who are rethinking proteins, advancing sustainable food sourcing, and promoting food literacy in children, “proving that food system transformation is not only a dream — it is already happening.”

One of the winners is Nutrifood, a project by students at Germany’s University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan Triesdorf, which aims to replace “resource-intensive” animal proteins with nutritious, eco-friendly alternatives.

“Our project focuses on utilizing plant-based proteins, specifically pre-cooked dehydrated beans, to address sustainability challenges in the global food system,” says team participant Enock Wasonga Omanga from Kenya.

“By sourcing beans from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture, we aim to promote soil nutrient management, enhance carbon sequestration, and support the transition to more sustainable farming practices.”

The team says it aims to provide convenient, versatile food while empowering farmers to adopt regenerative methods. Its product also minimizes the greenhouse gas emissions associated with protein production, he adds.

Alnarp’s Agroecology Farm targets food waste reduction through sustainable farming and community building.

Cutting waste with agroecology

Sweden-based Alnarp’s Agroecology Farm calls itself a “living lab” for agroecological practices, which integrate ecological and social principles into farming. Studies state that transitioning to these methods can boost farm resilience and enhance farmer well-being.

Based at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the team’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm aims to reduce food waste by growing vegetables based on demand, not excess. This approach is crucial, as, according to the FAO, nearly one-third of all food produced for human consumption (1.3 billion metric tons) is lost or wasted annually.

“We focus on environmental, social, and economic sustainability, providing a space for people to gain hands-on experience in farming with practices that are improving soil health and producing high quality, nutrient-rich vegetables for our CSA,” project contributor Mariana Alejandra Rorero Gonzalez from Colombia shares.

The team uses CSA subscriptions to know “exactly how much to plant” before the season starts. 

“We also change consumer behavior in terms of seasonal cooking because our customers receive a box of different vegetables every week that are ready to be harvested according to the season.”

Rethinking campus cafeterias

While Alnarp’s tackles waste at the production level (farms), Greenovators addresses it at the consumption level in university cafeterias in Turkey, where it is a major issue. At Çukurova University, 10.7% of food in dining halls is discarded, with students showing less awareness than staff.

“Our project, The Eco Plan Project: Eco Plate for Eco Planet, focuses on transforming university cafeterias into sustainable food hubs. We aim to reduce food waste, promote responsible resource use, and educate students and cafeteria staff on sustainability,” team member Armineh Rajabi from Iran, tells us.

We will turn university cafeterias into sustainable food catering spots, says team Greenovators.“By developing a sustainable guideline, we set standards for cooking techniques, portion control, and waste management.”

Meanwhile, The Menza Collective takes a “bottom-up” approach to sustainable cafeteria sourcing in Germany and the Czech Republic.

“Rather than imposing top-down definitions, we take a bottom-up approach, engaging students, university staff, and cafeteria workers to co-create sustainability indicators that are meaningful and context-specific,” explains project member Martin Richter from the Czech Republic.

The University of Hohenheim and Czech University of Life Sciences Prague team is developing a framework to incorporate diverse perspectives and create “more inclusive and transformative” food procurement contracts.

Teaching the next generation

The Agroboros project by students at the Netherlands-based Wageningen University, is bridging a critical gap: the disconnect between youth and agriculture. It offers “hands-on” summer programs for children aged 3-10 to inspire them to become active participants in sustainable food systems. 

“By providing interactive learning experiences, we help children develop an understanding of food production, sustainability, and environmental stewardship,” explains collaborating member Sarah-Maria Scheid from Germany.

“In 2024, we launched a pilot study in France, collaborating with schools and farms to involve both teachers and farmers in the learning process.”

Agroboros member Esteve conducting a workshop with children to help them understand food production and sustainability.Working internationally with members across France, Colombia and Germany, the team faced challenges in coordinating remotely and navigating language barriers in a French-speaking environment, Scheid shares.

“We established clear communication strategies and relied on digital tools to stay organized and connected. Moreover, finding participants for our summer school was difficult in the beginning.”

Roadblocks to change

Nutrifood faced high initial investment challenges for equipment, raw materials, packaging, and regulatory compliances. The team overcame it by applying for grants, pitching to angel investors, and members’ contributions, reveals Omanga.

Alnarp’s Agroecology struggled with economic sustainability while transitioning from a “volunteer-based project” to being an employer.

“In our first year, we successfully met our financial goals by expanding the garden, increasing CSA subscriptions, and diversifying our income streams through events, workshops, and flower production. However, our current challenge is ensuring that we can pay ourselves for the actual hours we work while securing the farm’s long-term future,” Gonzalez shares.

The team also faced challenges with CSA’s limited recognition in Sweden, making early customer acquisition difficult. They used informative content, events, and word-of-mouth publicity to build a “strong customer base.”

Overcoming “deeply ingrained” notions

For Nutrifood, farmers’ reluctance to adopt regenerative agriculture due to “financial or knowledge gaps” was a concern, notes Omanga. Offering training and partnerships to farmers, financial incentives, and mentorship from regenerative agriculture experts helped the team overcome these barriers.

Nutrifood used grants and angel investor pitches to overcome high initial investment challenges.In university cafeterias, Richter says The Menza Collective faced the challenge of authorities having “predefined notions” while developing high-quality, non-leading questions that allow them to “deeply explore individual constructions of sustainability” for their study.

Meanwhile, the Greenovators team encountered pushback from both cafeteria staff and students, as traditional food service methods are “deeply ingrained,” Rajabi states.

Food waste collection and composting are other issues the team aims to mitigate by collaborating with waste management organizations and sustainability experts for practical and cost-effective solutions.

Beyond the challenge

The winning teams will receive €5,000 (US$5,242.6) each, expert mentorship, and the opportunity to present their ideas at events like EIT Food Next Bite 2025 and IFT FIRST Annual Expo.

“Winning the challenge will allow us to pilot our project in select universities, conduct research, and engage with students and cafeteria staff through focus groups. Funding will be used to develop a scoring algorithm for measuring sustainability progress, create educational materials, and implement digital tools for tracking improvements,” says Greenovators’ Rajabi.

Gonzalez asserts that Alnarp plans to focus on being a recognized Living Lab, where people worldwide can learn about agroecology and bring these practices back to their home countries.

“We would love to have a mentor who can guide us in making our operation more economically sustainable, refining our business plan, and addressing weaknesses in our current mode.”

The funding will support The Menza Collective’s pilot study, educational materials and stakeholder interviews, says team member Martin Richter.For Nutrifood, the next big step is “execution,” says Omanga. This includes R&D, project plan implementation, and material purchases. They also plan to finalize sourcing agreements with regenerative farmers and conduct consumer piloting tests to refine their products. 

Meanwhile, The Menza Collective will use the funding for a pilot study, developing educational materials and stakeholder interviews, says Richter. The funds will also allow them to provide “operational support” to implement the framework within the university’s food procurement processes.

Agroboros aims to expand its educational programs through an online platform and stronger partnerships with Dutch schools and farms, says Scheid. It will use the funds to support business development and improve their workshop model.

“By scaling our initiative, we aim to make agricultural education more accessible and ensure that more children develop a deeper connection to food, farming, and sustainability,” she concludes.