We are thrilled to announce that our parent company the Greenman Group has launched its very first pan-European Innovation Awards, highlighting their continuous commitment to innovation and progress. As part of the Group, we’re excited to witness the positive impact this initiative will bring to our network and the industries we serve.
The Innovation Awards will be launched on 31st July 2023. For the very first time the competition seeks to identify and reward the most outstanding concepts and business models in the grocery retail sector. Under the title of “Growing Further”, early-stage businesses can apply from now on until 1st October 2023 with their innovative solutions for all stages of the grocery retail supply chain.
John Wilkinson, CEO of the Greenman Group says: “While grocery real estate remains at the heart of our business, we believe that genuine innovation can help businesses to transcend boundaries, fostering progress and a more sustainable future. ‘Growing Further’ reflects our core values and through this initiative we are actively seeking pioneering business ideas and want to encourage startups to apply with their innovative solutions. We believe that by recognising and supporting the most outstanding concepts and business models, we can accelerate the transition towards sustainable value chains in the food industry to make a meaningful impact on the future of food retail.”
At the awards ceremony which will take place in January 2024 in Dublin, the winner of each of the four categories “Production & Packaging”, “Distribution”, “Retail” and “Waste Reduction” as well as an overall winner will be announced with those winners sharing a €100,000 prize fund. The award ceremony also offers applicants a high-profile platform to showcase their concepts and businesses as well as a forum for networking and knowledge exchange with peer businesses from across Europe. The winners will be determined through a multi-stage selection process and chosen by a distinguished judging panel, including prominent experts from the worlds of venture capital, finance, entrepreneurship, and academia, all of whom have practical experience of translating an innovative idea into a business with material real-world impact.
David O’Meara, Head of Distribution at Greenman and founder of the programme, adds: “Europe is a world leading hub for innovation with a thriving startup scene that deserves to be nurtured. It is a particularly exciting time in grocery retail with the complex supply chains underpinning the sector evolving rapidly which is presenting lots of opportunities for new concepts and businesses. At Greenman we have always prioritised innovation and tech-driven approaches and through this initiative we are looking to identify and reward businesses of a similar mindset who are at the early stages of their journey.”
With ten closely aligned businesses located across six nations, the Greenman Group is rooted in the grocery real estate sector with the Group’s funds owning grocery real estate worth c. €1.35 billion across France, Germany, and Poland. Over the last years the strategic focus has shifted towards sustainable practices and innovation. In response to evolving retail systems and environmental concerns, the Group has committed to meet Paris-aligned net-zero targets with its flagship fund Greenman OPEN being the largest Article 9 real estate fund in Europe. Embracing a proactive approach, the Group diversified into tech-enabled ventures, including a large-scale vertical farm, a renewable energy utility, and pilot projects in carbon capture and augmented reality. Through such investments and initiatives like Growing Further, the Greenman Group aims to encourage the development of businesses that are seeking new and exciting ways of doing business in the broader grocery retail supply chain.
The application platform is now available at www.growingfurther.io.
