A team of students from Okanagan College have been named 2022 Enactus National Champion by the country’s largest experiential learning platform, Enactus Canada, and a judging panel comprised of top Canadian CEOs, for their ability to enable social, environmental and economic impact through entrepreneurial action.
The Enactus team at Okanagan College are changing the way the world looks at food by implementing circular systems that takes surplus apples that are fit for consumption and using them to feed those in need with their projects Fruit Snaps and Unusually Good Food Co..
Fruit Snaps, takes these “unusual” apples and creates nutritious apple chips that are then donated to local schools, community organizations, and developing countries.
The students behind Unusually Good Food Co, take those same “unusual” apples and create delicious apple juice allowing these keen students to pay farmers for the apples that they use, reduce food insecurity in their community, and fight climate change.
This year alone, Fruit Snaps has Donated 38,000 servings of apple chips, saving over 35,000 pounds of apples from going to waste, and diverted 70 tonnes of CO2, and Unusually Good Food Co. has generated over $15,000 in revenue.
“Both Fruit Snaps and Unusually Good Food Co. are changing the way the world approaches food waste” said Allyson Hewitt, President and CEO of Enactus Canada. “It’s truly inspiring to see just how much impact that Enactus Okanagan has had on their community. Congratulations and good luck at the Enactus World Cup in Puerto Rico!”
Earlier this year, Enactus Okanagan College competed against 44 other post-secondary institutions in two rounds of virtual presentation-based competitions for the chance to be named one of five national finalists. All five finalist teams were flown to Toronto to compete in-person at the Enactus Final Round of Competition, proudly presented by Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd, on September 30, 2022.
During the Final Round of Competition, each of the five finalist teams had 12 minutes to showcase how their entrepreneurial projects advanced the social, economic and environmental health of communities, created new career opportunities, sparked business innovation, and changed lives.
Enactus Okanagan College will now represent Canada at the global stage at the upcoming Enactus World Cup 2022 in Puerto Rico on October 30 – November 2, 2022.
Every year, the Enactus Canada National Exposition unites thousands of the country’s brightest university and college students, academic professionals, and top Canadian CEOs to enable progress by supporting entrepreneurial action through competition, collaboration, and celebration.
For competition updates, visit nationals.enactus.ca.