The average U.S. home throws out 240 pounds of food a year. The 2021 winner of the P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge at CES has developed a product that could help change that stat.
SAVRpack, a San Juan Capistrano, Calif., startup, topped three other companies for the competition’s top honors during a virtual pitch contest held Jan. 13 at CES, the world’s largest consumer trade show traditionally held in Las Vegas. SAVRpack’s patented food packaging technology keeps food fresh and reduces food waste by removing moisture from the air.
It’s a fairly new category for Ventures, an early-stage startup studio housed within Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble, which is on the hunt for its next billion-dollar brand in spaces like personal performance, women’s wellness, sleep and aging. SAVRpack’s main customer base is restaurants, and Covid-19 has more than doubled business for food delivery apps despite the overall hit to the hospitality industry.
Inspired by the laws of thermodynamics, SAVRpak, a company formerly known as Soggy Food Sucks, developed a peel-and-stick patch that when placed inside of a container, removes moisture from the air, eliminating condensation and keeping food fresh – preserving meals while in transit or storing leftovers.
“The SAVRpak technology has the ability to transform the way we eat and store food,” Savrpack said in a statement. “By extending shelf life by up to 50 percent, we can save families money and eliminate food waste.”
With its win, Savrpack receives a $10,000 prize and a chance to partner with P&G Ventures, among other prizes.
Savrpack was one of four finalists chosen for the final pitch, including:
- Fluo Labs LLC, a San Marcos, Calif., company that’s developed a drug-free treatment for seasonal allergies using light therapy.
- Glimpse Diagnostics, based in Minneapolis, which provides families with an accurate at-home ear infection diagnosis.
- SpotLESS Materials Inc., a startup from State College, Pa., which has developed a collection of non-stick coatings designed to use less water and less aggressive cleaners to keep surfaces clean.
Chief technology officer Bill Birgen called the Innovation Challenge “a thrill of a lifetime.” The competition, P&G Venture's fourth overall, was judged by Leigh Radford, senior VP and general manager at P&G Ventures; Julie Setser, senior VP of research and development at P&G Ventures; Kristina Rogers, global consumer industries leader at consulting firm EY; and Courtney Reum, co-founder of M13, a venture firm.
