// Tesco hands out £750,000 to the winners of its innovation accelerator programme
// Tesco aims to bring together supply chain start-ups with its suppliers to speed up sustainability innovation
Tesco has urged the UK government to “unlock innovation” in food supply chains as it hands out £750,000 to the winners of its innovation accelerator programme.
The innovation accelerator programme is part of its collaboration with conservation and wildlife charity WWF.
Tesco aims to bring together supply chain start-ups with its suppliers to speed up sustainability innovation throughout its supply chain.
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Five start-ups have so far won up to £150,000 each in funding, as well as the chance to test and scale their innovation in Tesco’s supply chain.
They included bioacoustic technology which monitors pollinators and pest levels, using birdsong as a science-based biodiversity indicator and low-carbon fertilisers.
The winning innovations will be trialled in Tesco’s supply chain.
“To create a food system that provides healthy, sustainable and affordable food for all, the whole sector needs to find ways to innovate fast,” Tesco responsible sourcing director Giles Bolton said.
As part of the programme, Tesco and WWF are also calling on the government to update current outdated regulations.
These can make it difficult to scale up supply chain innovations, such as using insect protein in animal feed or sustainable low-carbon fertilisers.
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