SPAIN/INTERNATIONAL. Travel restaurateur Areas has revealed the identities of four winning start-ups for the second edition of the ‘Areas for Change Challenge’. The initiative promotes sustainable and innovative solutions to reduce the company’s environmental footprint and guide activity towards greater sustainability.
Areas for Change Challenge – part of the Areas global ESG strategy – is developed in collaboration with Eatable Adventures, one of the world’s leading food tech accelerators.
It aims to find concrete and feasible solutions to Areas’ own sustainability challenges and those of the wider food & beverage and travel retail sector for the coming years.
The four winning projects selected by Areas and Eatable Adventures were picked from numerous applications from the US, Europe and Asia. Each covered one of the following categories: recycling, water management, returnable packaging and circularity in uniforms.
Recycling
Utrecht-based start-up Orbisk was selected for its project aimed at reducing food waste in the hospitality industry. The technology solution automatically records and recognises discarded food, detailing the type, quantity and time of day.
The technology allows teams to immediately engage in waste reduction initiatives without the need for training. Further, information capture and data collection require no manual intervention by the user.
Water management
Belgian start-up Shayp’s project implements intelligent algorithms to enable its users to address the issue of water scarcity, achieving a -21% reduction in water consumption.
Its patented Internet of Things technology is versatile, adapting to any type of water meter without the need for complicated installations; it also guarantees a ten-year battery life.
Returnable packaging
Paris Bibak’s solution seeks to revolutionise the takeaway food sector by addressing the issue of single-use packaging through an innovative sustainable system. That includes food containers, connected kiosks and a highly efficient operational process.
The company’s terminals facilitate the return process for consumers with an automated solution that integrates refunds, cashback and gamification.
Through this comprehensive system, customers enjoy detailed inventory tracking, precise return-rate measurements, refund flow control, as well as quantification of environmental impact and generation of real-time personalised reports.
Circularity in uniforms
Barcelona start-up Circoolar specialises in the ethical and sustainable production of work uniforms, as well as in the creation of textile merchandising under the principles of the circular economy and social impact.
Areas staged an event at the company’s global headquarters in Barcelona, during which the entrepreneurs were able to explain their proposals in detail. They presented their products to the project and Areas global management teams.
The four successful companies now have the opportunity to work with Areas, access its international network, and develop a pilot programme at an Areas point-of-sale. 
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining.
Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.
