INNOVATEX - I3X - 11
Sustainable Packaging Challenge - New Materials for Food
Initiating Partner: IFM Engage,
(Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, UK)
Initiating Partner Contacts:
Project Lead: Dr Michèle Routley, IfM Engage Industrial Associate, Institute for Manufacturing
Dr David Lott, Chief Executive Officer, IfM Engage, Institute for Manufacturing
IfM Engage, (Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge), United Kingdom, is a knowledge transfer organization embedded in the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) (a division of the Engineering Department at the University of Cambridge). IfM Engage focuses on facilitating knowledge translation from the research happening at IfM and the wider university to practice, supporting industry and government through the deployment of consulting, education and communication activities. The group prepares and supports the implementation of innovation and transformation initiatives by connecting academic research with real-world decision-making and delivery. In general the methods deployed are versatile and can be adapted to various contexts/sectors. IfM Engage have much experience to deploy our approaches in all the 4 sectors (Nutrition, Mobility, Energy and Housing). IfM Engage’s work draws on interdisciplinary approaches and has run activities in a variety of sectors including Food, Energy, Mobility and Construction. Across the sectors, the focus is on innovation and operations management, sustainability and resilience management, policy studies, systems engineering and digitalization and social sciences, in the context of European and global agendas for sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth. Case studies which describe IfM Engage capabilities include: https://engage.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/e-wave-powering-the-future-of-electric-shipping/ https://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/insights/sustainability/ https://engage.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/project/eit-food-roadmapping-case-study/ https://engage.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/project/unlocking-the-potential-of-materials-for-quantum-technologies-in-the-uk/ https://engage.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/project/future-proofing-controlled-environment-agriculture-with-defra/
What are the desired outcomes of I3X-11?
IfM Engage is looking for innovative approaches to support the development and adoption of sustainable and regenerative food packaging solutions, with a focus on new materials and system-level integration.
Food packaging is essential for food safety, quality and shelf- life, yet it is also a major contributor to plastic pollution, resource depletion and waste generation. While innovation in bio-based, biodegradable and recyclable materials is advancing rapidly, many solutions remain difficult to scale due to performance limitations, cost barriers, regulatory complexity and poor integration with food systems.
Within the SMAR3TS project, this I3X focuses on moving beyond isolated material substitution and supporting regenerative packaging approaches that reduce environmental impact, minimise food waste and align with circular economy and sustainability objectives across food systems.
What skills and capabilities (across disciplines) would be beneficial for I3X-11?
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Food packaging and materials innovation
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Circular economy and life-cycle assessment
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Sustainability and systems thinking
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Innovation management and scaling
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Policy and regulatory analysis (food contact materials, waste)
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Stakeholder coordination across food and packaging value chains
R&I Stage: Proof of Concept which aims to contribute to (resilience, restoration, regeneration)
The Innovate3X (I3X) challenge invites research and innovation talent within the SMAR3TS project to contribute to the development of regenerative food packaging solutions through secondments at the University of Cambridge at IFM.
Future secondees could work on identifying solutions related to material innovation, sustainability assessment, regulation, adoption and system integration, supporting the transition from promising packaging concepts to real-world deployment.
Examples of Challenges that need to be addressed for I3X-11?
Key challenges include:
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Fragmented packaging innovation landscape: New materials are being developed, but without coordinated evaluation across manufacturing, recycling, cost and regulation.
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Short-term vs long-term sustainability trade-offs: Companies must decide how to improve sustainability now while also preparing for future packaging systems and legislation.
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Infrastructure compatibility: Many new materials fail because they do not work with existing sorting, recycling or reuse systems.
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Regulatory and investment uncertainty: Rapidly evolving policy (e.g. plastics regulation, EPR, recycling targets) makes it difficult to make long-term packaging investments.
Key research question: How should the food and drink industry and supply chain plan and coordinate to deliver more sustainable packaging – both quick wins in the short-term and taking advantage of the most advanced opportunities emerging from new materials, designs and manufacturing approaches?
The secondments should contribute across various disciplines to help bring scientific developments into practice and support the future of packaging sustainability in the food industry.
I3X-11 Alignment to R3 - Resilience, Restoration, Regeneration
Resilience, Restoration & Regeneration
Regenerative food packaging strengthens resilience by reducing dependency on fossil-based materials and improving food system robustness. It contributes to restoration by lowering environmental impacts from packaging waste and supports regeneration by enabling circular and regenerative material systems.