Souji won the EIT Food Category Award at 3rd Juan Ramón Guillén Foundation Awards

Close to 300 representatives from public institutions, businesses, cooperatives, associations, financial entities, and the educational and foundational sectors came together at the new Acesur olive mill in Jabalquinto, Jaén, to celebrate the third edition of the Juan Ramón Guillen Foundation Awards on the 3rd of October.

These awards, presented by the Juan Ramón Guillén Foundation, recognise innovative initiatives that contribute to the development of the olive sector while also highlighting professionals in this strategically important sector within the Spanish and Andalusian economies.

Award Winners

Following a meticulous evaluation of proposals in their respective categories and adhering to the competition's criteria, the jury unanimously decided that Souji was the winner for the 'New Business Ideas Transforming the Olive Value Chain' Award, granted by EIT Food and valued at 4,000 euros.

This award includes a cash prize of 2,000 euros and participation in a mentoring programme with the value of another 2,000 euros. The winning proposal, developed by Samsarapps S.L., provides an innovative solution for recycling and valorizing used kitchen oil waste, transforming it into a versatile and ecofriendly cleaner.

Distinguished Jury

Begoña Perez Villarreal, EIT Food South Director together with other important figures in the agrifood sector, such as, Álvaro Barrera, President of Ecovalia; Nathalie Chavrier, Technical Manager of the AgriFood Sector at the Andalusian Technology Corporation; José Juan Gaforio, Director of the Advanced Studies Center in Olive and Olive Oil at the University of Jaén; Jesús Rodríguez, Director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology at the University of Granada 'José Mataix Verdú' and Melchor Martínez, Director of Research, Development, and Innovation at Acesur formed this year´s jury.

It should be noticed that the jury was presided over by Juan Ramón Guillén Prieto, President of the Juan Ramón Guillén Foundation, during the ceremony.

These awards support the commitment of innovation and sustainability within the olive sector and serve as a platform for recognizing initiatives like Souji's innovative approach to recycling used cooking oil.