Funding, News and Announcements

Message from Sobeys Inc.

Packaging plays a vital role in the grocery retail sector. We rely on plastics to transport, preserve and market products. In May 2021, Sobeys became the first national grocer to eliminate single-use plastic grocery bags from checkout counters in our stores, eliminating 800 million plastic bags each year. 

But we can do more. Consumers expect us to do more and we owe it to the planet to do OurPart^TM. Sobeys Inc. is partnering with Ignite Atlantic, Divert NS, and Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to launch a national industry challenge. The goal is to find commercially-viable and sustainable alternatives for in-store wrapped fish, meat and produce packaging which are hard-to-recycle plastic wrap, moisture pads and Styrofoam trays. 

And that’s where we hope you will come in. Maybe you already have plans for research and development of sustainable packaging products or have been looking for an opportunity to test an existing product—we want to help you develop it to something that may be commercially viable. There are many opportunities for creative and innovative solutions.

From now until May, we’ll be working with challenge applicants across Canada to identify a potential partner for a sustainable packaging solution that could be used in some of our stores. The winning Challenge applicant will receive:

1. a $25,000 cash prize from Sobeys,
2. a meeting with ACOA to discuss your idea’s potential for further development,
3. a 12-month residency package with Ignite Atlantic and
4. the opportunity to engage in discussions with Sobeys around a potential first-to-market pilot of their product in select Sobeys locations in Nova Scotia.

In addition, we’re excited to announce that Divert NS will contribute up to $25,000 to be used towards the cost of the winning applicant’s potential pilot at Sobeys (payable by Divert NS to Sobeys in furtherance of any such pilot). Eligible companies have until March 31, 2022, to formally register for the challenge and submit their Letter of Intent. For more information about eligibility criteria, timeline, supports available to participants, and registration information, visit igniteatlantic.com/plastic-waste-challenge. We’ve also attached the Challenge Applicant Guide [PDF - 24.8 MB].

Our company has proud Atlantic Canadian roots, and we’re thrilled to have the enthusiastic Atlantic partnership driving this national initiative. From coast to coast, we’re putting out a call for the next great idea! We hope you’ll consider joining us and our partners for the Sobeys Plastic Waste Challenge.

For any additional questions, please reach out to sustainability@sobeys.com.