Resilience Fund project to support project 79323 in reducing food waste, mitigating Covid-19 disruption

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Covid-19 has disrupted the global food industry, with the UN warning that the world is facing the worst food crisis in half a century. Food waste expert, Kevin Quigley, has cautioned that the UK could now miss its Sustainable Development Goal of halving food waste by 2030\. Globally a third of food produced is wasted (FAO, 2015), with 70% of it still safe for consumption (WRAP, 2021). A major issue is confusing and overcautious expiry dates, leading to perfectly edible food being thrown away. Food waste at European supermarkets can be as high as 15% (tandfonline.com), with 80% attributed to the current expiry date system and the average family in the UK wastes £700 worth of food annually. According to Andre Laperriere, Executive Director of GODAN, Covid-19 may lead to levels of food waste in developed economies increasing to 40% of everything that is produced, distributed and consumed. Countless food producers and retailers have pledged to tackle food waste, but Covid-19 has forced them to look at different ways of operating. Mimica products will give the food industry the confidence to manage stock levels and wastage, whilst also giving consumers the confidence to purchase fresh foods. Our first product, Mimica Touch, is a patented label or cap that turns bumpy when food or drinks spoil, based on actual temperature conditions. It provides an accurate, real-time indication of the product's freshness with a tactile inclusive interface. This time & temperature response can be calibrated to different food types to suit food suppliers' requirements. This project will support Mimica's commercial production and market validation in the juice-based beverages market with our first version (bottle cap) of Mimica Touch. Lead players in this market have offered strong support and engagement, and have expressed a clear need for the technology. This will establish its market position with an offer that is affordable, accurate, inclusive and circular economy compatible, which existing offerings cannot match. Simultaneously, Mimica's technical team will conduct early research into a novel universal flat label design to capture a broader range of products. Our Mimica Touch solution will contribute to rebuilding a more sustainable economy by supporting retailers and consumers, whilst simultaneously striving to achieve our mission of reducing global food waste.