Transforming Tomorrow: Join the Menu for Change Challenge!
Are you passionate about transforming how we eat and ensuring our food system is fair, sustainable, and accessible to everyone? This is your chance to make a real impact!
What is the Menu for Change Challenge?
EIT Food, the Seeding The Future Foundation, the FutureFoodMakers, and the Young Professionals Platform (YPP) invite you to join the Menu for Change Challenge – a competition designed for young changemakers with innovative ideas to revolutionize Europe’s food system.
This challenge empowers teams of young visionaries to develop solutions that align with the Menu for Change, a manifesto created by the FutureFoodMakers. The manifesto highlights six key priorities to drive positive change in Europe’s food system.
Whether you have a new project idea that needs support to implement, or an ongoing project that requires funding to scale, this is your chance to contribute to a brighter, healthier food future for all.
The FutureFoodMakers & Their Mission
In 2021, EIT Food brought together 10 young Europeans who are passionate about reshaping the food system for the better.
These FutureFoodMakers created the Menu for Change, which urges food system stakeholders to take bold action to ensure our food is not only nourishing but also sustainable for the planet.
Quote Lucy Whittaker
"Youth must be at the heart of transforming our food system. Our generation will inherit the consequences of climate change, hunger, and inequality. We demand a future where healthy, affordable food is a right for all, and sustainable practices shape every step of the journey from farm to fork."
What is the Menu for Change?
The Menu for Change manifesto highlights six key priorities that the FutureFoodMakers believe will have the most impact on driving positive changes in Europe’s food system. These priorities are evaluated annually in a report to measure progress.
1. Regenerative Farming – Transition 25% of EU agricultural land to regenerative practices by 2030.
2. Clear & Accessible Food Labeling – Establish EU-wide nutrition and labeling guidelines that are simple, inclusive, and reflect the environmental impact of food.
3. Food Cost Inclusion– Ensure policies consider food costs for vulnerable populations and offer vouchers for nutrient-rich foods.
4. True Cost of Food– Implement a system to calculate the true cost of food produced by large corporations, considering its environmental impact.
5. Food Waste Reduction – Develop strategies to reduce food waste in supermarkets and support bio-based, recyclable, or biodegradable materials.
6. Food Education – Include nutrition, health, and sustainability in school curriculums, and provide resources for parents and teachers.
We encourage you to reach the full manifesto here before applying.
Why Participate?
By joining the Menu for Change Challenge, you can:
- Be part of a movement to reshape the future of food in Europe.
- Win funding to scale or implement your project.
- Get the chance to present your project at key technology conferences in Europe.
- Receive mentorship from experts to grow your professional/entrepreneurial skills and turn your ideas into reality.
The top 5 winning teams (with 3 members per team) ) will receive funding and professional mentorship to help bring their ideas to life. They will also have the opportunity to attend and pitch their ideas at key conferences (for example in the EIT Food Next Bite 2025, Food Future Tech London 2025 , SIAL Paris 2025 ).
Eligibility
- Age: All team members must be aged 18-30.
- Location: You must be a resident or citizen of a European country (including Switzerland, UK, and Turkey)
- Teams: Teams should consist of 3 young changemakers.
- Project Alignment: Your project must align with at least one of the six priorities in the Menu for Change manifesto. Projects can either be new ideas needing support to implement OR existing initiatives that require funding to scale.
How to Apply
1. Form your team of 3 people.
2. Review the Menu for Change and decide how your project idea addresses one of the manifesto's priorities.
3. Submit your application outlining your project idea or existing project and how it will contribute to transforming the food system.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of the change!
Apply Now and Shape the Future of Food!
Submit your ideas and help create a future where food is good for both people and the planet.
For any queries, please reach out to Trisha Mandal, YPP at trisha.mandal@ypard.net