Myco Foods – Hooba
Hooba is a plant-based protein produced using oyster mushrooms that are farmed vertically at the 20,000 square foot Myco Foods production site in North Yorkshire. Launched earlier this year, it can be used to create burgers, sausages and mince.
The mushrooms are grown using AI which tells the team the optimum time to harvest them, before they are then converted into Hooba using five locally-sourced store cupboard essentials and basic seasoning. Every stage of production is conducted under the same roof, a base that has strategically been located next to the A1 in order to cut down food miles.
The aim for Hooba was to create a product that resembled meat in terms of taste and mouthfeel, which Myco had identified as one of the biggest obstacles for meat eaters to reduce their consumption.
Myco is also actively engaging with the wider industry to help reduce meat consumption and has developed Hooba in a way so that it can be blended with meat protein in order to offer a wide range of 50/50 hybrid products. The firm believes that this innovation could help to substantially lower the carbon footprint of the meat sector.
Apetito – Project Boomerang
Project Boomerang is the world’s first industrial scale closed-loop recycling system for meal trays, operating with Apetito’s consumer meals brand, Wiltshire Farm Foods, and healthcare business.
By implementing the NHS’s first closed-loop recycling system, Apetito has made a sizeable impact as it continues to implement changes that will assist in its ongoing commitment to reaching net zero.
Project Boomerang has been rolled out across 31 operational sites since its launch in January 2023, with return rates of its CarteChoix trays currently sitting at 64%. This compares favourably to the local authority kerbside recycling rate of just 38% for UK plastic.
Meanwhile, it has delivered an average CO2 emissions saving per site of 800kg a year and average waste cost-processing savings per site of £500 a year. Finally, Apetito estimates that the project could save 64 tonnes of CO2 emissions and more than £30,000 per year if closed-loop recycling is introduced in all UK hospitals.
Apetito has written to every MP about the project and welcomed 29 to the depot for a visit, while a further 15 legislators have written directly to the Defra secretary of state.
Raynor Foods – Smart People + Smart Process = Smart Factory
Smart People + Smart Process = Smart Factory (S3) is a collaboration between Raynor Foods, University of Lincoln, University of Cambridge and technology partner Software Imaging.
The £2.5m project has received support from Innovate UK and is focused on solving issues surrounding carbon emission monitoring and control, while using gamification and AI to reduce total emissions by 30%.
The solution applies detailed monitoring to every aspect of Raynor Foods’ production process through the deployment of sensors, sub-metering and Real Time Location System (RTLS) throughout its facility.
The RTLS allows the firm to measure a process and geolocate the teams or individuals responsible for delivering it, before awarding points based on sustainability considerations such as energy usage, waste, efficiency with cross links to food safety and health and safety. This data is then presented to everyone involved in the process from board level to the production floor in a simplified format that utilises AI analysis.
Meanwhile, Raynor Foods has been able to provide a more accurate Scope 3 report for every consignment of products it deliver to customers, as well as a dynamic CO2 emissions values for every product.
Cranswick – Second Nature strategy.
As part of an its effort to embed sustainability at the core of the business, UK food producer Cranswick has introduced the ‘Second Nature’ strategy.
Through extensive research and collaboration with academia, gas industry experts, packaging specialists and store lighting professionals, it has developed new technologies aimed at addressing food waste. And now, by leading its supply chain and working closely with all stakeholders from manufacturing and logistics to retailers and consumers, Cranswick has positioned itself to reduce food waste in the sector by 10%, equivalent to approximately 100,000 tons of carbon.
The journey began when Cranswick began identifying key factors contributing to food discolouration and waste. These include oxygen levels in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), product temperature during manufacturing and throughout the supply chain, light exposure in the supply chain or retail stores, and seal integrity.
Supported by research from Lincoln University, Queen’s University and Philips Lighting, Cranswick pinpointed critical areas for development and improvement in industry standards. This included reducing oxygen levels in MAP from 1% to 0.03%, customising gas mixtures for each product type rather than by sector, implementing 100% inspection of gas mixtures before release, and ensuring seal integrity to maintain MAP gases within the packaging.
Cornish Sea Salt Co – TekSalt
Cornish Sea Salt Co has used innovation in an attempt to address the global health challenge of reducing sodium intake, while maintaining the benefits of salt in food production.
Through the development of TekSalt, the firm’s lower-sodium salt solution, it aimed to help food manufacturers meet the World Health Organisation and Public Health England’s sodium reduction targets, while also providing a natural alternative to potassium-based salt substitutes.
TekSalt leverages the mineral profile from the Atlantic waters around the Lizard in Cornwall, reducing the need for manufacturers to undergo costly recipe modifications, offering both health benefits and operational efficiency. Cornish Sea Salt Co is also committed to sustainability and aims to ensure that its salt production processes are eco-friendly, with minimal impacts on the environment.
The launch of TekSalt has had a significant impact on the business, expanding its reach beyond premium brands to price-sensitive food manufacturers seeking sodium-reduction solutions. The innovation has also opened up new revenue streams, leading to the creation of new roles within the company and increased market penetration.
The winners for next year’s awards will be announced at a gala dinner held at the London Hilton Bankside. Tickets are available to purchase here.
The Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2025 are kindly supported by headliner Menzies and event sponsors Niras, Quor, and Watermill Press.
