ProVeg has announced the winners of its fifth annual Food Innovation Challenge, held in conjunction with major food companies and open to students across the Asia-Pacific region.
In first place is a self-heating plant-based food box containing “Hanwoo beef”, rice, and vegetables. Created by students from Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and the Netherlands’ Wageningen University, the invention has won a $3000 prize. It was developed on behalf of Korean company CJ Foods, which challenged students to create a sustainable and convenient alternative to Hanwoo beef (one of the most expensive beef cuts due to its high marbling).
Four other teams received a $1000 prize:
- Students from Bogor Agricultural University in Indonesia developed a plant-based chocolate for health-conscious women on behalf of Mars.
- A team from the National University of Singapore created plant-based lamb with marbling from duckweed on behalf of Beyond Meat.
- Students from Germany’s University of Hohenheim and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh University of Technology developed a plant-based seafood sticky rice meal for Thai Union.
- A team from China’s Jiangnan University created 3D-printed, high-protein plant-based octopus legs for CPF.
© ProVeg
“Remarkable creativity and determination”
Many entries used innovative local ingredients like mung beans, konjac, and rice bran, while exploring new high-impact markets such as plant-based lamb. Some also used local protein sources like microalgae, duckweed, fungi, and wolffia. There was an emphasis on reimagining local dishes such as Peking Duck, Dongpo Pork, and Hanwoo Beef.
The contest was launched in September 2024, and 452 proposals were submitted from 151 universities. The finals were held on January 6 2025, with judging criteria based on the product’s market potential, uniqueness, feasibility, and go-to-market strategy.
The competition has helped to foster collaboration between Asian students and those in other regions, accelerating the development of sustainable foods. The partner companies of the challenge were Unilever, Mars, Beyond Meat, CJ Foods, CPF, DaChan, Monde Nissin, and Thai Union.
“This year’s Food Innovation Challenge has showcased the remarkable creativity and determination of students from across the globe,” said Shirley Lu, Managing Director of ProVeg Asia. “By fostering partnerships between students from regions such as China and Australia, Vietnam and Germany, and beyond, we are accelerating the development of sustainable and inclusive food systems. Together, we’re proving that the future of food innovation is not only green but also global.”
