Carozzi opens global search for foodtech partners in second Sinergia Startup push

Carozzi has launched the second edition of its open innovation program, Carozzi Sinergia Startup, as the Latin American food group looks to work with startups, entrepreneurs and universities on new technologies for product development, consumer insight, reformulation and circular economy projects.

• Carozzi launched the second edition of its Sinergia Startup open innovation program, inviting startups, universities and technology partners to collaborate on new food solutions.

• Selected participants will develop pilot projects inside Carozzi production facilities in Chile, Peru and Argentina, working directly with the company’s technical teams.

• The program focuses on four challenges including faster product formulation, advanced consumer intelligence, product reformulation for simpler labels, and creating value from waste streams and by-products.

The program, developed with foodtech accelerator Eatable Adventures, is designed to bring outside innovation closer to Carozzi’s core business and move promising ideas into real operating environments. Participants selected for the initiative will be able to develop pilot projects at the company’s production facilities in Chile, Peru and Argentina, working alongside Carozzi’s technical teams.

The company reported that the model is intended to speed up implementation and testing by giving innovators access to real production settings and direct collaboration with internal specialists. That approach is expected to allow both sides to validate solutions more quickly and make decisions based on operational results.

“In Carozzi we have been running several programs aimed at strengthening our relationship with the entrepreneurial ecosystem to promote innovative solutions linked to the food industry, agriculture and the distribution chain. These allow us to generate greater value and wellbeing for our consumers, with the conviction that open innovation is a key lever to continue strengthening our portfolio and competitiveness,” said José Manuel Muñoz, Innovation and Digital Transformation Manager at Carozzi.

This year’s edition centers on four strategic challenges that reflect some of the main pressures facing large food manufacturers.

One of them focuses on making the formulation and early testing of new products faster and more precise. Carozzi is seeking solutions that can shorten product development cycles, improve formulation accuracy from early stages and enable agile, measurable validation of key product attributes.

A second challenge centers on consumer, market and channel intelligence. The company is looking for advanced capabilities that integrate traditional data sources with alternative signals such as digital, transactional and e-commerce data through advanced analytics.

A third area targets product adaptation and reformulation in response to regulation and evolving consumer expectations. Here, Carozzi is interested in technologies that can help adapt products to changing regulatory frameworks while supporting demand for simpler and more natural ingredient lists.

The fourth challenge focuses on circular economy opportunities. The company is inviting proposals for technologies capable of transforming waste streams and by-products into new sources of value, particularly in categories such as tomato sauces, fruit purées and concentrates.

Applications will remain open until mid-April. During May, proposals will undergo technical evaluation, and in June selected participants will move on to the pilot phase. Pilot projects are scheduled to take place between July and December, allowing scaling decisions to be based on operational data and measurable outcomes.

Founded more than 125 years ago, Carozzi is one of the largest food companies in Latin America and among the biggest agro-industrial groups in Chile. The company operates across 25 product categories with brands present in households across the region.

Carozzi stated that its business maintains close relationships with farmers, communities, customers and suppliers, reflecting the company’s agricultural roots and long-term role in regional food production.

The partnership with Eatable Adventures gives the program access to a global network of agrifood innovators. Eatable Adventures describes itself as a foodtech accelerator working with startups, corporations, governments and investors to support innovation across the food system.

According to information provided alongside the announcement, the organization has built a community of 25,000 changemakers, runs 12 acceleration and incubation programs, has led more than 70 corporate and government initiatives, and manages a €30 million investment fund (US$32.7 million) supporting early-stage projects.

Each year, Eatable Adventures reported that it accelerates more than 100 startups through its programs, supporting the growth of the agrifood technology ecosystem globally.

Startups, universities and other technology developers interested in participating in the initiative can submit applications through Carozzi’s website.