2015 Ecotrophelia UK finalists
Medeina (Gold)
Cocoa, coconut, raisin & seed bites, rolled in freeze-dried fruit and desiccated coconut.
Team name: Team Medeina, PepsiCo
Introducing: New Medeina Bites!
A delicious and balanced mix of dried fruit and seeds carefully blended into bite-size snacks for guilt free goodness that you can enjoy at any time of the day.
Naturally high in omega-3 from flaxseeds and enriched with freshwater algae to give you a source of protein, just 4 of these tantalising treats are a great way to get one of your five-a-day, with no added nasties.
Medeina Bites are vegan, as well as being allergen and sugar free, so you can rest assured that Medeina Bites are as good for you as they are for the environment, with sustainability a key factor in the development route.
Sustainability from the start was the driver of the product development. Medeina Bites are minimally processed, without using intensive heat treatments as to reduce their environmental impact and wherever possible, fairly traded products are used to make sure that the producers are treated fairly and paid a good price for their produce.
More than this; high in fibre, a source of protein and high in omega-3, Medeina Bites are a great way to replenish after the gym, or to relax after a hard day at work. Available in Cacao & Coconut flavour and rolled in Raspberry, Strawberry, Desiccated Coconut and Blackberry, get ready for a taste sensation that will leave you wanting more
Medeina Bites: Nutritious, Delicious, Sustainable.
Cauliflower Style Rice (Silver)
100% Cauliflower, shredded and packed into recycled pot. Rice alternative. High fibre, 1 of 5 a day.
Team: Trinity, Leeds Trinity University
Introducing the all new, tasty alternative to rice. Made from 100% cauliflower, this super quick, super tasty and super healthy product is taking the humble cauliflower to the next level! Cauliflower Style Rice is a side of plate alternative that uses reject cauliflowers that are either too ugly or too small for the supermarket shelf. But we at Trinity see the inner beauty and are happy to take them and pack them into our fully recycled and re-usable plastic containers because here at Trinity, we don’t do waste. Even our outer packaging is fully recyclable.
With only 58 Calories per portion, 1 of your 5 a day and naturally high in fibre, Cauliflower Style Rice appeals to a range of consumers; from slimmers to gymers, those that want to increase their vegetable intake or those that just want a tasty accompaniment to their meal. Cauliflower Style Rice will be found in the chilled section of the supermarket alongside existing rice products and will be available in 8 flavour variants including: Kaffirr Lime, Lemongrass & Coconut / Ginger, Soy & Spring Onion and Sundried tomato & Basil. Meaning that in just 3 minutes cooking, you can have a flavour packed, healthy accompaniment to your meal!
Duffles (Bronze)
An eco-friendly, healthy alternative to chocolate truffles- can be consumed both cold and warm.
Team: Duffleatiers, University of Nottingham
The Duffle truffle box is a unique, eco-friendly, healthy alternative to chocolate truffles with the offering of cold and warm consumption. The presentation box contains 25 Duffles available in 6 different flavours. 15 Duffles are based on carob and are ‘ready-to-eat’ at ambient temperature, containing a variety of different flavours including soft centres made with real fruit. The remaining 10 Duffles are cocoa based sweets, when warmed up resemble tasty chocolate brownies.
Duffles are mainly constituted of non-uniform, sugar spotted dates, chopped almonds and coconut. Although these materials are generally rejected by industry retailers due to their appearance; Duffles offer no compromise in luxury and taste. The product also comes with the added nutritional benefits of fibre, essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
The sustainability factors surrounding cocoa are becoming increasingly significant due to future forecasted demand to exceed available supply. Traditional chocolate truffles are based on 55% cocoa solid, while our carob based Duffles contain no cocoa powder and the hot version is made from only 8.66% cocoa powder.
Additional environmental considerations include the use of bio-degradable plastics formulated from sugar cane and recyclable paper board, we will use these packaging materials to create an upmarket style presentation box.
‘KAYS (Finalist)
Paprika flavour savoury baked snack made with banana peel and wholemeal flour, high in fibre and Potassium.
Team: Creative Cuisine, Cardiff Metropolitan University
‘Kays is a cracker made mainly of banana peel and wholemeal flour. It is an innovative product, as it is eco-friendly, due to the usage of an unwanted product (banana peel), healthy due to the high content of fibre and it stands out for having a paprika flavour, but it has the possibility to produce a wide range of flavours, sweet or savoury. Based on consumer research, it is possible to see that the United Kingdom consumers are seeking healthier snacks, as an option to crisps, with new intriguing ingredients and flavours (Mintel, 2014).
The crackers are packed in eco-friendly packages, made of recyclable plastic as a primary packaging and a hexagonal shape paper carton (cardboard) as a secondary packaging, giving it a rustic, handmade look. ‘Kays production process uses low energy sources, as the product requires only a scale, food processor and 10 minutes in the oven. Furthermore, this product has a shelf life of three months, and does not require refrigeration, making this product easy to transport and store. The production line is very low with only 66p per 100g package.
Based on the products characteristics described above, this product could be well accepted by the consumer marker, especially for people concerned with the environment and interested in healthier alternatives of snacks.
Seafood linguine (Finalist)
High protein ready meal utilising cricket flour and sustainable fish.
Team: Earth’s Banquet, University of Nottingham
Earth’s Banquet aims to produce high protein nutritionally focussed ready meals that taste, look and smell good while being kind to the environment and helping to reach those all-important 2050 goals. These meals really are the best of what planet earth has to offer.
Through the use of sustainable ingredients and innovative processing methods, we have developed a natural, long life meal that is good for you and the environment. The first product in our brand is a Seafood Linguini. This main meal product was chosen after extensive trials because it allowed us to explore sustainable seafood and the potential to provide additional key nutrition to your diet. It is quick and convenient to prepare, for those busy people on the go with an eye for the sustainable future.