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BRF Institute announces the selected initiatives for the Zero Loss Challenge, which seeks solutions to combat food loss and waste

Projects will receive mentorship and financial support to implement innovative solutions in communities across Brazil

The BRF Institute, an organization that promotes social impact initiatives, announced last Tuesday (25) the selected projects for the IBRF Zero Loss Challenge, developed in partnership with HUB BRF to foster innovative solutions for reducing food loss and waste. The winning proposals were chosen from a variety of applications submitted by startups, civil society organizations, cooperatives, and nonprofit educational institutions, demonstrating the sector's transformative potential.

The selected solutions will be implemented in the cities of Lajeado (RS), Toledo (PR), Lucas do Rio Verde (MT), Uberlândia (MG), Rio Verde (GO), and Concórdia (SC), where BRF has production units. Each project will receive financial support and specialized mentorship to ensure a positive and lasting impact on the communities served.

The winners of the challenge are:

• Acelera ESG, which will operate in Lucas do Rio Verde (MT) developing solutions to reduce food waste through efficient logistics, food safety, and waste management.

• Embaixada Solidária, which will operate in Toledo (PR), creating a Food Security Reference Center focused on professional training, sustainability, and social impact.

• Saveadd, which will operate in Concórdia (SC) and Rio Verde (GO), creating Solidarity Markets to redistribute food surpluses and combat food insecurity, prioritizing families led by Black and mixed-race women.

• The AMUR project, which will operate in Uberlândia (MG) and Lajeado (RS), was developed by the Federal University of Uberlândia. It aims to strengthen family farming managed by women, promoting the reduction of production losses, food security, income generation, and autonomy in the agricultural sector.

"By supporting these initiatives, we strengthen our commitment to promoting efforts to combat food loss and waste, contributing to the sustainable development of the communities where we operate. We are very pleased with the quality and social impact of the selected proposals and confident that these solutions will bring significant changes in reducing food waste," says Raquel Ogando, Director of Reputation and Social Impact at BRF.

The initiative representatives also highlighted the importance of BRF Institute's support. According to Elenice Casartelli, representative of the AMUR initiative, "The support from BRF Institute will allow us to expand the impact of women in family farming, ensuring more autonomy and opportunities for many local female farmers." Salvador Iglesias, representative of Saveadd, adds, "With this support, we will be able to structure and expand our Solidarity Markets, optimizing the distribution of surplus food and combating food insecurity even more efficiently."

The chosen projects contemplate different approaches to minimizing losses and waste, including solutions for agriculture and innovative community models, promoting everything from strengthening sustainable production to the efficient redistribution of food.

The IBRF Zero Loss Challenge reinforces BRF Institute's mission to contribute to a more sustainable future by encouraging innovation and strengthening food security in Brazil.