Self-heating plant-based food box wins top prize in Asia-Pacific food innovation contest

Students from Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and the Netherlands’ Wageningen University have won the top prize of AUD$3,000 (US$1,900) at the ProVeg Food Innovation Challenge 2024 for their self-heating plant-based “Hanwoo beef” rice box. 

CJ Foods, a Korea-based food company, set the task of creating Hanwoo beef, a rare and expensive beef cut. The food box features “beef” made from textured pea protein as well as rice and vegetables. 

The food box contains a built-in heating element that functions after pulling a string. It is tamper-proof and completely sealed for maximum heating potential. The first-place prize is a convenient size for on-the-go use and comes with a reusable wooden spoon.

Shirley Lu, managing director at ProVeg Asia, says: “This year’s Food Innovation Challenge has showcased the remarkable creativity and determination of students from across the globe.”

“Using diverse local ingredients like mung beans, microalgae and fungi, participants have demonstrated that collaboration knows no boundaries.” 

“By fostering partnerships between students from regions such as China and Australia, Vietnam and Germany, and beyond, we are accelerating the development of sustainable and inclusive food systems,” Lu adds. 

Second-prize winners made plant-based Peking duck and seafood-flavored rice dressing, while third-place winners designed plant-based lamb and sticky rice using plant-based shrimp and tuna. The judging criteria was based 30% on the product’s market potential, 30% on its uniqueness, 20% on its feasibility and 20% on its go-to-market strategy.

Plant-based alternatives 

Scientists in Israel and Palestine have leveraged material science to develop meat analogs that mimic the intricate architecture of muscle and fat. Their innovation comes amid escalating global meat demands, intensifying ecological concerns and pushing food companies to look for sustainable alternatives.

Plant-based packaging is steadily growing across sectors, with new advances including biodegradable barrier coatings and packaging upcycled from “second harvest” materials. Industry experts predict that global demand for natural polymer packaging will increase rapidly due to impending legislation and innovation successes in plastic-free materials.