Opened in partnership with Barilla and Lavazza, the fourth edition of the Food-Tech Innovation Award gathered high interest among international startups and scaleups.
Zurich, October 23, 2024 – Barilla and Lavazza, global leaders in the food industry and members of the Lifestyle Tech Competence Center (LTCC) have selected Graffiti as the winner of the prestigious FoodTech Award 2024. The announcement was made during the Retail Tech Innovation event organized by Dagorà at Google’s headquarters in Zurich, following a competitive pitch day held at Accenture in Zurich on October 22, where 12 innovative finalists presented their groundbreaking solutions.
This year’s competition focused on Retail Media, targeting cutting-edge technologies designed to improve brand interaction throughout the customer journey and enable the efficient collection and analysis of consumer data across channels. Co-managed by the Lugano-based M&A boutique Loomish and LTCC, the FoodTech Award serves as a platform for startups and scale-ups to meet brands and retailers in order to innovate the industry together.
From an initial pool of approximately 70 applicants, 12 pioneering finalists were selected to pitch their solutions in front of a panel of distinguished judges. The jury comprised top executives from Barilla and Lavazza, senior figures from Swiss and Italian retailers, and leaders from LTCC member organizations, including Accenture, Dagorà SA, UBS, and leading Swiss universities.
The winner of this year’s Food Tech Award 2024 is:
Graffiti: graffiti.ai
Location: Caen, France
Graffiti is a cutting-edge AI computer vision platform that bridges the gap between online and in-store shopping experiences, providing real-time product info, personalized AR experiences—all in-store. This technology enhances customer engagement by allowing users to receive instant insights and visual context about the products they are interested in without needing additional apps or tools.
By earning the prestigious title of FoodTech Award 2024 winner, Graffiti will also have the opportunity to explore a pilot project in partnership with Barilla and Lavazza.
Luca Ravazzoni, Channel Team Senior Manager for e-Commerce at Barilla Group, stated:
“We are thrilled to be part of the 2024 FoodTech Innovation Award, a vital platform uniting industry leaders like Barilla and Lavazza with retail partners and the Lifestyle Tech Competence Center. As we face the complexities of an integrated phygital environment, delivering a seamless and personalized shopping experience is essential. This year’s emphasis on Retail Media highlights our commitment to enhancing brand engagement through innovative solutions. By leveraging collaboration and advanced analytics, we aim to create significant value for consumers and the Food & Retail sector.”
Andrea Bello, Innovation and Experience Senior Manager at Lavazza Group, remarked:
“It has been inspiring to witness such remarkable creativity and innovation in this year’s competition. As retail media continues to evolve, the ability to combine data insights with customer-centric solutions is essential. The finalists presented exceptional ideas that promise to reshape the way we engage with consumers. We congratulate Graffiti and all participants for their outstanding contributions, and we look forward to exploring opportunities to collaborate and innovate together in this dynamic space.”
Carlo Terreni, President at LTCC and Founder of Loomish, said:
“Hosting the FoodTech Award 2024 at Accenture and culminating the event at Google’s headquarters has been a fantastic experience, bringing together visionary leaders from across the globe. The focus on Retail Media this year highlights the growing demand for solutions that provide deeper understanding and more personalized customer experiences. The quality of the ideas presented has been exceptional, and we are excited to see the future impact these technologies will have on the Food & Retail sector. This initiative continues to foster game-changing partnerships that fuel innovation and growth.”
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Contact information
Ledia Malecaj – l.malecaj@ti-switzerland-innovation.com – +41763870849
About Barilla Group
The Barilla Group Barilla is a family business, not listed on the stock exchange, led by brothers Guido, Luca and Paolo Barilla. It was established by great grandfather Pietro Barilla, who in 1877 opened a bakery in Parma. Today, Barilla is renowned in Italy and worldwide for its excellent food products. With its brands – Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Pan di Stelle, Gran Cereale, Harrys, Pavesi, Wasa, Filiz, Yemina and Vesta, Misko, Voiello, Cucina Barilla, Catelli, Lancia, Tolerant and Pasta Evangelists – it advocates tasty, hearty and wholesome nutrition, inspired by the Mediterranean Diet and the Italian lifestyle. When Pietro opened his store over 140 years ago, his main goal was to make good food. Today, that principle has become Barilla’s way of doing business: “Good for You, Good for the Planet”, a slogan that reflects the daily commitment of over 8,000 people working for the company and of a supply chain that shares its values and passion for quality. “Good for You” means constantly improving the products offered, encouraging the adoption of healthy lifestyles and ensuring access to food. “Good for the Planet” means committing to reduce and offset CO2eq emissions, promoting sustainable supply chains and designing packaging to be recyclable. Since 1987, a historical archive has been collecting and preserving the company’s 143-year history, now a resource open to all via the portal-museum www.archiviostoricobarilla.com, a testament to the journey of an icon among Made in Italy products and to the changes in Italian society. For further information, visit: www.barillagroup.com; Twitter: @barillagroup; LinkedIn: Barilla Group.
About Lavazza Group
Lavazza, founded in Turin in 1895, has been owned by the Lavazza family for four generations. Today the Group is one of the leading players on the global coffee scene, with turnover of over € 2.3 billion and a portfolio of top brands that lead their respective markets, such as Lavazza, Carte Noire, Merrild and Kicking Horse. It is active in all business sectors and has operations in 140 markets, with 9 manufacturing plants in 6 countries and over 4,200 collaborators all over the world. The Group’s global presence is the result of over 125 years of growth and the more than 30 billion cups of Lavazza coffee produced every year are a testament to a remarkable success story, with the goal of continuing to offer the best coffee possible, in all forms, by focusing on every aspect of the supply chain, from the selection of the raw material to the product in the cup.
Lavazza Group has revolutionised coffee culture by investing continuously in research and development: from the intuition that marked the company’s earliest success – the coffee blend – to the development of innovative packaging solutions; from the first espresso sipped in Space to the dozens of industrial patents. The ability to be ahead of the times is also reflected in the focus on sustainability – economic, social and environmental – which has always been a benchmark for guiding corporate strategies. “Awakening a better world every morning” is the corporate purpose of Lavazza Group, with the aim of creating sustainable value for shareholders, collaborators, consumers and the communities in which it operates, combining competitiveness with social and environmental responsibility.
About Lifestyle Tech Competence Center
The Lifestyle Tech Competence Center, one of the three competence centers officially recognized by Switzerland Innovation Park Ticino and connected to the existing one in Zurich, is a Swiss association dedicated to supporting innovative companies engaged in research and development within the Lifestyle Tech sector. This includes areas such as FoodTech, FashionTech, BeautyTech, TravelTech, DesignTech, and Smart Living, among others. The Association’s primary goal is to facilitate collaboration between academic institutes and companies, fostering the exchange of technology and knowledge.
The members of the Lifestyle Tech Competence Center Association include Accenture, Antares Vision Group, Assos of Switzerland, Bally, Barilla, BertO Salotti, Città di Lugano, Dagorà Lifestyle Innovation Hub, Guess, Hyphen Group, Lavazza, Loomish, Microsoft, Moresi.com, SUPSI, UBS, USI and VF Corporation. Find out more at https://lifestyletechcompetencecenter.com/
About Loomish SA
Loomish SA is a Swiss-based investment management firm specialized in Lifestyle -Tech, with a focus on Food, Fashion, Travel and Design industries. We are committed to accelerating value creation for all the players within the lifestyle ecosystem: investors, digital start-ups and established corporations looking for innovative solutions. Strategically located in Ticino, between the dynamic financial centre Zurich and the global lifestyle hub Milan, Loomish is perfectly positioned to link the best of both worlds. We deliver expert guidance and facilitate investments in the Lifestyle-Tech sector, focusing primarily on the disruptive technologies offered by European medium-sized start-ups and scale-ups. Find out more at LinkedIn @Loomish_SA and http://www.loomish.ch