Areas is calling on entrepreneurs globally to join the third edition of the “Areas for Change Challenge” and create sustainable solutions for the food&beverage and travel retail industry.
Barcelona, November 28th, 2024.
Building on the success of its first two editions, Areas announces the launch of the “Areas for Change Challenge” in collaboration with Plug and Play, a global innovation platform based in Silicon Valley. The multinational leader in food&beverage and travel retail seeks startups that develop innovative and sustainable solutions. The challenge aims to address the company’s needs and tackle issues in the Food & Beverage, Travel & Hospitality, and Brand & Retail sectors, all while prioritizing sustainability. Interested startups can register on the website.
Areas has launched this new edition as part of its ESG strategy, “Areas for Change,” which focuses on people, the planet, and the future. The company aims to provide sustainable and innovative solutions that reduce its environmental footprint, help fight climate change, and guide its operations towards a more sustainable future.
“For the third consecutive year, we are promoting this initiative because we recognize the importance of companies like Areas taking action to drive solutions that transform the industry. Our goal is to foster a stronger commitment to environmental awareness while enhancing the travel experience for our customers” highlighted Blanca López Alerm, Communication, Sustainability & Customer experience Director. She emphasized the company’s strong commitment to this initiative, stating, “At Areas, our purpose is to create a positive impact on the planet, people, and the future of travel. We aim to achieve this through innovative, creative, and disruptive approaches, working alongside the world’s leading startups and partners.”
With the support of Plug and Play, a world leader in connecting innovative startups with corporations seeking disruptive solutions, Areas is looking for startups to provide real solutions to the following sustainability challenges:
- Waste Revalorization: Solutions to revalorize food and non-food waste generated at Areas’ points of sale, such as plastic bottles, coffee grounds, orange peels, packaging, and used cooking oil.
- Energy Efficiency: Solutions to improve energy efficiency by controlling and reducing electricity consumption at Areas’ facilities.
- Alternatives to Plastic Water Bottles: Solutions to replace disposable plastic water bottles with alternatives, through new materials, business models, or other sustainable solutions that comply with current regulations.
The program will partner with startups that can conduct pilot tests, demonstrate international scalability, and create a positive impact in marketing and communication. By collaborating with these forward-thinking companies, Areas aims to uncover new business opportunities and enhance operational efficiency, driving meaningful progress in sustainability and beyond.
“Working with Areas on the helps us bring innovative startups together with a company focused on sustainability. This partnership drives real solutions that make a difference. Together, we’re shaping a more sustainable future through innovation,” Saeed Amidi, Founder & CEO, Plug and Play.
Selected startups, after an initial analysis, will have the opportunity to collaborate with Areas in a pilot program. They will receive support in their commercialization strategy and work alongside the Areas team to develop their projects, with the potential to become future suppliers.
Great Success in the First and Second Editions
The “Areas for Change Challenge” has seen great success in its first two editions, attracting startups from around the globe to drive sustainability in the travel channel industry.
The first edition, held in March 2023, received over 70 applications. The winners included Flax&Kale, a Spanish company focused on healthy gastronomy or Cupffee, a Bulgarian company that created innovative edible cups.
In the second edition, whose winners were announced in February 2024, Orbisk, a Dutch startup specializing in reducing food waste, Shayp, a Belgian company focused on efficient water management, or Circoolar, a Spanish company dedicated to the sustainable production of uniforms, were awarded.
Both editions, developed in collaboration with the Eatable Adventures accelerator, demonstrate Areas’ commitment to open innovation and the search for sustainable solutions in the industry.
About Areas
International leader in food&beverage and travel retail. With presence in 11 countries, the company manages more than 1,900 restaurants and stores in Europe and America.
With a team of 20,000 people and locations in the main transport hubs in the world (airports, train stations, travel plazas in highways), as well as leisure parks, Areas provides service to more than 350 million customers every year.
Founded in 1968 in Barcelona, Areas is committed to offering high quality services to travelers. Since then, Areas has become a global benchmark operator in the industry, with a deep knowledge of the travelers’ needs and the widest range of restaurant concepts in the market.
Press Contact | Roman:
Víctor Palacio: v.palacio@romanrm.com +34 677 782 370
Magdalena Guiroy: m.guiroy@romanrm.com +34 626 496 16
About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 50+ locations across 5 continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/insurtech-innovation/.
Plug and Play Media Relations Contact
Jacky Tsang
Senior Communications & PR Associate