Plastic-Free Orders Packathon recognises sustainable packaging for food delivery orders

New Delhi, India: Zomato, India’s food ordering and delivery platform, earlier this week announced the winners of its ‘Plastic-Free Orders Packathon’, at an event held in New Delhi. Launched in partnership with Startup India, the ‘Plastic-Free Orders Packathon’ was aimed at encouraging innovation in sustainable packaging for food delivery orders. At the event, the 10 shortlisted startups pitched their pioneering solutions to the jury and an audience of over 100 people, including Zomato’s restaurant partners, 14+ startups, technical experts and sustainability students and enthusiasts. Bambrew, Go Do Good Studio and Frenvi were selected as the top 3 winners for their solutions and have been awarded prizes worth INR 10 lakhs, 5 lakhs, and 3 lakhs, respectively.

Over 85 startups from 18 states across the country shared their sustainable packaging solutions that ranged from innovative plastic-free barrier coatings made of materials like seaweed and plant-based gums, compostable carry bags to edible cutlery. 34 of these startups were partially or fully led by women entrepreneurs. The pitches made by the 10 shortlisted startups were judged on the innovative nature of the materials used, their functionality, cost efficiency, design and aesthetics, among others. These startups also got an opportunity to display their sustainable packaging solutions to the audience at a simultaneous exhibition at the event.

Speaking on the initiative, Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Chief Sustainability Officer, Zomato said, “We are overwhelmed with the response received on the ‘Plastic-Free Orders Packathon’, an initiative that stemmed as a response to the growing concern over environmental sustainability in the food ordering and delivery industry. Acknowledging start-ups’ pivotal role in catalyzing innovation, we partnered with the Government of India’s flagship initiative Startup India to address this critical requirement. It is inspiring to see startups across the country stepping up with groundbreaking solutions for eco-friendly packaging solutions in the food ordering and delivery industry. The enthusiastic participation of women entrepreneurs underscores the inclusive nature of this initiative, highlighting their pivotal role in shaping a sustainable tomorrow. The ideas showcased by all the startups participating in the event have the power to revolutionise the overall packaging practices, thereby setting a new standard for the industry. We look forward to witnessing the impact of their initiatives in driving a positive change towards a greener future.”

The jury for the event was composed of Rakesh Ranjan, CEO, Food Delivery, Zomato; Shekar Prabhakar, Co-founder & CEO, Hasirudala Innovations; Raghav Verma, Co-founder, Chaayos; Vishal Jindal, Founder and CEO, Biryani By Kilo and Dr. Tanweer Alam, Director, Indian Institute of Packaging.

In line with its objective to reduce the carbon footprint of food deliveries, Zomato has implemented multiple initiatives by employing its ‘reduce, recycle, and reward’ approach. The company recently announced its 2030 sustainability goals, committing to 100% plastic-neutral food deliveries every year and 100 million plastic-free orders by 2025. Through initiatives such as defaulting to ‘Do not send cutlery’ on its app, which was introduced in 2021, the company reduced cutlery waste by 1,000 MT within two years of its inception.

Since FY 23, Zomato has recycled 30,000 MT of plastic waste, 1.5X of the weight used by restaurant partners for Zomato food order deliveries. Zomato has also launched a program to recognize restaurants shifting to plastic-free alternatives, further reinforcing their commitment to sustainability.