iMTM Students presented innovative food ideas at COP27 climate summit

MEDIA RELEASE

11 November 2022

iMTM students present innovative food ideas at COP27 climate summit

iMTM Students and the idea Hi–Burger along with Students from five other Asian countries unveiled their competition entries in Egypt – and it’s not too late for others to take part!

The iMTM students, Mr. Paramet Sethawanich (Batch 5) and Mr. Khampasert Doungsithi (Batch 7) from iMTM program, International College along with two other students from Faculty of Food Business Management were selected to be one of the five innovative food ideas by students across Asia to be presented at COP27, the UN climate summit, this month as part of an Asia Pacific focused competition designed to accelerate the plant-based food revolution.

The ProVeg Food Innovation Challenge APAC 2022 is run by global food awareness organisation ProVeg International to encourage students to develop innovative ideas for the booming plant-based food market. The competition was launched in September this year but it’s still not too late to take part. College and university students across Asia have until November 30th 2022 to enter the competition, with cash awards worth US$10,000 being handed out to the winners.

ProVeg selected five teams from among the early submitters to present their ideas at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The teams, from Indonesia, China, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand, showcased their ideas at COP27’s Food4Climate Pavilion.

“The ideas from the early submitters which were presented at COP27 were fantastic and have really impressed the companies that sponsored the competition. We really encourage more students to engage their creative juices and join in,” Shirley Lu, Managing Director for ProVeg Asia, said.

“Asia is not only a significant consumption market but also an important force in alternative protein innovation with its rich food heritage, indigenous ingredients, and creative talents,” she added.

The International College and Faculty of Food Business Management was:

• Hi Burger (Thailand team) is a Satay flavoured, plant-based burger with an impressive nutrient profile made from locally sourced, Thai ingredients such as jackfruits, soybeans, oat and beetroot. Developed for CPF, the local ingredients seek to secure revenues and employment for local communities as well as give the economy of Thailand a boost.

The other entries presented at COP27 are as follows:

• The Slouch Pouches (Singapore team) are a ready-to-eat product for veggies on the go, vacuum packed for maximum freshness, with various flavours such as “BBQ-Licious”, and “Mala-licious”. They are great sources of protein using Unilever’s The Vegetarian Butcher “Unbelievaballs meatballs” with transparent packaging that can be heated up in the microwave and eaten straight from the pouch to save washing dishes.
• Beyond Expectation (South Korea team) uses Beyond Meat’s minced pork as a bakery filling option for Paris Baguette, the largest bakery chain in South Korea. The Beyond Expectation line features three different recipes in local flavours.
• Order Oat to Out Alcohol (China team) positions Oatly’s Oatgurt product as an anti-alcoholic beverage, focusing on the middle and high-end market and sold to people who are open to advanced ideas and have the tendency to drink excessively. Slogans for the product are: “Try oatgurt to help you sober up when you’re drunk!”; and “Skip the booze and just have a cup of oatgurt!”
• PepShot (Indonesia team) is marketed as a shot of healthiness and the perfect match to your daily routine. The topic comes from PepsiCo and the Indonesian team envisages the product in biodegradable shot glass size bottles with product lines split into morning shots that improve focus by increasing the energy level, and evening shots that maintain a healthy body by enhancing antioxidants and vitamins. Both are high in protein and fibre from blue spiralling and chia seeds.

ProVeg launched the very first Food Innovation Challenge in China in 2020 and expanded the 2021 Challenge to include South-East Asia. The 2021 Challenge won the ‘Best use of digital by a charity, NGO or NFP’ Award at the Digital Impact Awards. The 2022 edition of the competition has been expanded to the entire Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.