SIGCUBATOR is SIG’s accelerator program for new businesses looking to create the next novel food or drink innovation.
Startups and small companies can apply, free of charge, until February 28.
Anna Rabanus, global category manager at SIG, said, “We understand that getting a product off the ground is often a challenge for start-ups. The SIGCUBATOR program supports entrepreneurs with the production facilities, the knowledge and connections in the food and beverage industry. Our team of experts will be there to guide start-ups through the most crucial period of their innovation: from testing prototypes in SIG’s combiLab in Germany through to a final product and package concept that’s ready for consumers.”
SIG is hoping to find and engage with entrepreneurs at an early stage and attract potential like-minded partners who share the same vision for delivering nutritious food and beverages that help improve lives in a sustainably-packaged way. Forward-thinking food and beverage start-ups are one key to driving industry innovation and value creation.
Rabanus said, “Lifestyles are changing and with this consumer expectations are high, from healthy ingredients to convenient on-the-go packaging solutions. Working together we can launch innovative, sustainable and differentiated long-life products for a fast-paced mobile generation. We can’t wait to see the ideas and together make a difference for both people and planet.”
SIG said it will evaluate concepts based on their innovativeness within the space, their market entry strategy as well as principles of future acceleration in the market with co-manufacturing partners.
One new start-up business that has already launched its range of shakes to market via SIGCUBATOR is UK-based GROUNDED. Filling two SKUs in SIG’s combiLab, GROUNDED recently launched its plant-based protein shakes in SIG’s carton bottle, combidome.
Gabriel Bean, founder of GROUNDED, said, “Just one small idea can change an entire industry and we identified a gap in the market for a clean, genuinely natural, plant-based shake – with no compromise on natural ingredients and packaging. The team and people at SIG were just as aligned on values, and we couldn’t have found a better partner with which to launch these products. They supported us all the way, from our first contact with their UK team, through to their exceptional combiLab operation in Germany. We look forward to continuing our partnership with such professionals in their field.”