As part of its eco-friendly initiative, food and beverage maker, Rite Foods Limited, has powered the innovation scheme for start-up recyclers on how to use modern technology and creativeness in mopping plastics from the environment for recycling purposes, and by extension impact the society through their proceeds.

The initiative is on the backdrop of the innovation and training programme conducted by the Circular Economy Innovation Partnership (CEIP) sponsored by Rite Foods, which culminated in the pitch of the business ideas of eight recycling companies that took part at the final presentation ceremony of the three months exercise on Tuesday, March 28.

The innovation scheme, which involves the fundamentals of plastic recycling, business processes, development of new techniques as well as the technical architecture that is suitable for adoption in the advancement of recyclable materials for a cleaner environment, saw Westman Recycle emerged as the winner and the benefits accrued to the tech-driven recycling company include support for business growth.

Recycle Works emerged as first runner-up, while GIVO Africa emerged as the second runner-up. Other recycling companies that participated in the final stage include Recycavaenue, Brickify Limited, Trashusers, Retreasure, and Nature Kcalls, with brilliant presentations on how their start-up works.

The winner was selected after a thorough scrutiny of the various plastic waste collection and recycling ideas by the judges that comprised of the Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Ibrahim Odumboni, who advised them participants to be dedicated to their humble cause of making the environment cleaner and further improve on their business enterprise.

He commended Rite Foods for sponsoring the programme, which he said would impact positively on the recyclers’ operations.

Speaking at the event, Rite Foods Managing Director, Seleem Adegunwa, said that the market leading company with lots of inventiveness in the production of its award-winning brands has been supporting the growth of innovation in various spheres of endeavour and promoting talent for the actualisation of set dreams by young Nigerians.

He stated that the company threw its weight behind the training exercise as it aligns with its mission of putting consumers at topmost priority and making them successful in life.

Adegunwa added that the scheme was part of Rite Food’s contribution to the growth of start-ups and the preservation of the environment, as evident in its sponsorship of the award-winning environmental conservation project, ‘Riteonthebeach’, an initiative of Popbeachclub, which cleared 100,000 plastic bottles from Lagos shorelines.

He admonished the participants to always be dogged with their business ideas and also be very flexible to adapt to modern trends to make it more successful like Rite Foods, with the various steps taken since inception in making its brands, proudly-Nigerian.

On her part, the Director, Network and Relationship, CEIP, Yomi Odutola, averred that the training was an exposure for recyclers to adopt an up-to-the-minute approach in ridding plastic waste from the society, and for recycling into new products for useful purposes.