On 14 October, Novo Nordisk and EAT announced the winners of ‘The Healthy Food Challenge,’ a platform that called for innovative solutions to advance healthy and sustainable food environments for vulnerable people.

Grassroots organisations, youth groups, communities of faith, public institutions and private organisations were invited to collaborate on idea development and implementation. The response to the challenge was exceptional, and submissions came in from around the world. The winners are now eligible for a grant of up to USD 100,000 to pilot their solutions.

The winners are:

1. Tailored Food, Global South

Tailored Food is an organisation that researches, develops, launches, and scales nutritious and affordable food products for families living in extreme poverty. Ingredients are sourced from smallholder farmers, local entrepreneurs drive production, and guerrilla marketing campaigns leverage local influencers such as comedians and hip-hop stars to generate excitement around nutritious, low-cost food. 

2. Food from the Block, Portugal

Food from the Block is a community programme that aims to rebuild a healthy relationship with food by amplifying connection, empowerment, knowledge, and inspiration to vulnerable communities in Lisbon. LocalsApproach, the organisation behind this initiative, is a non-profit that develops participatory processes that engage communities to become active drivers of local development and enable them to transform their neighbourhoods on their terms. 

3.  Healthy Schools, Healthy Snacks, Healthy Futures, Cambodia

This initiative is driven by Hellen Keller International and will create a healthier food environment inside primary schools in Cambodia. Using principles of human-centred design, the organisation will invite students, parents, educators, vendors, local leaders and officials from the provincial health and education departments to analyse the problem of unhealthy school environments and co-create mutually acceptable interventions to pilot in three schools in rural and city outskirt areas around Phnom Penh.

Well done to all involved!

The challenge received more than 100 submissions from around the globe. An expert panel including specialists in nutrition, community engagement, food and climate, food systems, obesity and social determinants of health selected the winners.

The winning projects all had feasible and scalable ideas that could address health inequality and create more sustainable food environments for communities that are disproportionately at risk.

Don’t miss it! You are invited to a special webinar on 24 November 15:00 – 16:15 (CET) to meet the winners and hear more about their inspiring projects. Register here

You can read more about the Healthy Food Challenge here