Are you a person with big ideas on how to make the coffee industry better and more sustainable? If so, Oatly wants to help you bring them to reality with their Big Idea Grant for Coffee program. The Swedish-based oat milk company is seeking out-of-the-box thinkers from small coffee companies, and grant applications are still open until June 1!
With the Big Idea Grant, Oatly is looking to take a ground-up approach to solving some of the biggest issues facing the coffee industry by leaning on the people who experience them on a daily basis: coffee professionals. They are seeking ideas from small US-based coffee shops and roasters (under 75 employees) or folks who work for one to tackle one of the many sustainability issues in coffee. Example ideas include but are not limited to: greenhouse gas analysis of coffee shop operations, closed-loop waste initiatives, waste upcycling ideas, community-focused agricultural programs connected to the supply chain, environmental justice initiatives, and ways to get rid of single-use materials.
[We] know that our planet is facing an environmental crisis which demands to be met with widespread, immediate action. We believe the coffee community has the power—both locally and holistically—to lead society to a more sustainable future, and we want to provide the resources to help you do that.
Those with big ideas can apply for a grant on the Oatly website, where 10 to 15 applications will be selected to receive funding anywhere from $500 to $100,000. The grant recipients will then be announced on July 12th.
So come on, Sprodin, get to thinkin’! You’ve still got time to get your big idea in before the June 1st deadline! For more information, visit Oatly’s Big Idea Grant for Coffee page.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.