GreenWave, winner of the 2021 prize, is a non-profit organisation that developed a regenerative ocean farming system for cultivating seaweed and shellfish © Greenwave
The prize organisers are seeking initiatives targeting how society produces, distributes, or consumes blue foods. Any individual or organisation globally is eligible to nominate – including start-ups, research institutions, cooperatives, or grassroots NGOs – with the initial nomination process taking approximately three minutes.
While the prize accepts nominations year-round, the evaluation process lasts roughly 10 months from submission to shortlist. Consequently, initiatives hoping to be considered for the 2027 prize should be submitted by mid-May 2026.
“We keep the process deliberately simple and accessible because we want to reflect the full diversity of the global food systems landscape. Blue foods are critical to food security, biodiversity, and climate resilience – yet they're one of the most underrepresented areas in our selection process. That’s why we would like to amplify our call for nominations," said Emily Norford, Food Planet Prize Nominations Manager, in a press release.
The Curt Bergfors Food Planet Prize, awarded annually in Sweden, supports initiatives capable of significantly reducing the environmental damage caused by global food systems. Unlike many awards, it focuses on potential future impact rather than past achievement, making it accessible to early-stage projects and established organisations alike.
Previous winners and finalists from the blue foods sector include:
- Blue Ventures (winner, 2020): A UK marine conservation organisation that pioneered community-led fisheries management across the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.
- Global Mangrove Alliance (winner, 2022): A coalition of WWF, Conservation International, and The Nature Conservancy, the alliance works to halt and reverse global mangrove loss.
- FutureFeed (winner, 2020): An Australian CSIRO-led initiative which demonstrated that adding seaweed to livestock feed could cut methane emissions by more than 80 percent.
- GreenWave (winner, 2021): A Connecticut-based non-profit organisation that developed a regenerative ocean polyculture system growing seaweed and shellfish.
Nominations can be submitted via the Food Planet Prize website.
