It’s seems that the Mobile World Congress 2015 has only just finished but there are already plans in place for the 2016 edition:
At the 2016 Mobile World Congress, Barcelona will show the world what the restaurants, kitchens and supermarkets of the future will be like.
Reimagine Food has launched mFOOD, an ambitious collective research and development project focusing on how mobile technology will affect food producers and consumers. The aim is to bring together companies, entrepreneurs and investors, among others, to innovate and anticipate the changes that will come about as a result of technology such as tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, augmented reality, holograms, etc.
mFOOD aims to contribute to the development of creative new technological solutions that can have a positive impact on the world. It aspires to become a global benchmark and to position Barcelona as a leader in food and mobile technology.
The project’s goal is to promote innovation in food and mobile technology worldwide among the following groups:
- Top global food and beverage companies, in order to analyse how the new mobile experience will affect consumers and the competitive advantages.
- Entrepreneurs, to develop new solutions and start-ups geared towards food + mobile.
- Start-ups. Reimagine Food has already mapped 350 food start-ups that are developing solutions that combine food and mobile technology.
- Foodies
- Top global chefs
- Restaurants, where technological innovations are starting to transform the food experience.
- Local producers
- Tourists
- End consumers
This project is an initiative of Reimagine Food, which already has prestigious collaborators including Singularity University, Alimentaria, Esade, IESE and Ogilvy, in addition to strategic partner Deloitte. Plus, other brands such as Areas, Bimbo, Borges, Campofrio, El Corte Ingles, Gallina Blanca Star andEuropastry have already confirmed their participation in mFOOD and talks are currently underway to bring into the project other multinational corporations that are benchmarks in innovation in the food and beverage sector.
Reimagine Food seeks to be a disruptor in the food and food technology industries; connecting innovation, foodstartups, foodpreneurs, emerging tech, brands and breakthrough ideas in food in the coming years.. The firm says its objective is, “to lay the foundations for promoting a new Silicon Valley of food and disruptive technology in Barcelona.”
MFOOD EXPERIENCES
mFood will play a particularly prominent role at Mobile World Congress 2016, where visitors will be able to participate in a series of experiences (mFOOD Xperiences) to show the present and future of the union of food and mobile tech. These will include 20 establishments in Barcelona demonstrating what restaurants of the future will be like; four kitchens around the city, open to the public that will be connected to the Internet of Things; three supermarkets featuring innovation corners offering new consumer experiences; and the snack of the future at the Barcelona airport, etc.
MFOOD ACCELERATOR
In June 2015, mFood will select 5 disruptive food start-ups from around the world to present their projects at the 2016 Mobile World Congress and 4YFN. The influence of food start-ups was patently clear at this edition: of the 8 candidates to the Disruptive by Mobile awards, 3 (EdamamCo, KickDish and ChopChop) focused on food. As was one of the finalists, CookBoth, to the award for best app at the Mobile World Congress.
Within this category, special attention will go to the Wine&Startups project, which unites the wine world, with wineries from Napa Valley and Catalonia, and disruptive entrepreneurs. A special event to analyse how disruptive technology can transform wine production and consumption worldwide.