Food ordering and delivery platform Zomato has unveiled the ‘Plastic-Free Orders Packathon’ designed to foster innovation in sustainable packaging solutions. In collaboration with Startup India, the Packathon is a competition for startups to showcase food delivery sustainable packaging options for restaurants catering to online food orders.
Open to all DPIIT-recognised startups, the Packathon’s application deadline is set for February 29th. The top three winners will be awarded prizes worth 10 Indian Lakhs, 5 Indian Lakhs, and 3 Indian Lakhs, respectively.
Additionally, they will have the opportunity to present their solutions to Zomato’s restaurant partners, potentially revolutionizing the way food is packaged for delivery.
Since September 2023, Zomato has acknowledged restaurants that have transitioned to sustainable packaging through a special ‘Plastic-Free Orders’ banner. As of December 31st, 2023, the program has recognized 3.6 million orders as plastic-free across eight cities. The initiative has revealed a significant adoption of paper-based or bagasse-based packaging among national restaurant chains.
However, a gap exists for standalone, mid-tier, and budget restaurants, particularly those outside metropolitan areas. These establishments struggle with accessing affordable and functional alternatives to plastic packaging.
“Standalone, mid-tier and budget restaurants, especially those outside metro cities, are struggling with the availability of affordable and functional alternatives to plastic packaging for their deliveries,” said Zomato chief sustainability officer Anjalli Ravi Kumar. “The problem is particularly acute for restaurants specializing in gravy-based cuisines with multiple condiments and accompaniments.
“We believe focused innovations hold the answer to this problem and the Packathon is a way to surface and recognize Indian innovators.”
Zomato and Startup India “packathon”: Deadline February 29
Aastha Grover, vice president of Startup India, expressed enthusiasm for the Packathon, emphasizing its alignment with the mission to support Indian businesses and citizens in adopting sustainable practices.
“Given the burgeoning issue of plastic pollution, this initiative is a clarion call to all Indian startups to innovate and devise sustainable packaging solutions for food delivery that can significantly reduce plastic usage,” Grover said. “This challenge presents a unique opportunity for Indian startups to showcase their ingenuity and contribute to a new era of sustainable consumption.”
This initiative is part of Zomato’s broader 2030 sustainability goals, which include achieving 100% plastic-neutral food delivery orders through voluntary recycling measures and facilitating the delivery of 100 million plastic-free food orders by 2025. Zomato has consistently worked towards reducing the environmental impact of food deliveries through its ‘reduce, recycle, and reward’ approach. Notably, the company’s decision to make ‘Do not send cutlery’ the default option on its app has significantly reduced cutlery waste.
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