From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
As part of its eco-friendly initiative, Rite Foods Limited, the market leader in the food and beverage sector of the Nigerian economy, 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 further impacting on the society through their proceeds.
This is against 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, 28 March, 2023.
The innovation scheme which involves the fundamentals of plastic recycling, the business processes, the 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, emerging as the winner and benefits accrued to the tech-driven recycling company include support for business growth.
This was followed by Recycle Works as the first runner-up, while GIVO Africa emerged as the second runner-up.
Other recycling companies that also 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 which had the Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, who advised them 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 would impact positively on the recyclers’ operations.
Speaking at the event, Rite Foods Managing Director, Mr. Seleem Adegunwa, posits that the 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, promoting talent for the actualisation of set dreams by young Nigerians, and that it threw its weight behind the recyclers training exercise as it aligns with its mission of putting consumers at topmost priority and making them successful in life.
He stated that the scheme was part of the company’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.
Adegunwa further 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, affirmed 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.
Rite Foods is the manufacturer of the 13 variants of Bigi carbonated soft drink, the Bigi Table Water, the premium Fearless energy drink, consisting of the Fearless Classic and Fearless Red Berry brands, the unique Sosa fruit drink with its Orange, Apple, Orange Passion and Mango, Mixed Berries, and Cranberry flavours, as well as the Bigi and Rite sausages.
