Global Think-Tank, KM Zero Recognizes Ferran Adria, Julia Collins, and Stephen Ritz As 2025 Global Food Changemaker Prize Winners 2025 in International Ceremony With Over 100 Global Food Heroes and Industry Icons
Stephen Ritz, founder of Green Bronx Machine, won the 2025 Social Impact Award for his initiative that promotes food as an educational tool among young people, while Californian entrepreneur Julia Collins received the Climate Impact Award for her leadership in the decarbonization of the food sector.
The first edition of the Food Changemakers Awards also honored Spanish Chef, Ferran Adrià, for his academic and mentoring work at the Madrid Culinary Campus (MACC), the gastronomic training center mentored by the president of el Bulli Foundation and Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz.
Beatriz Jacoste, CEO of KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub, highlighted that 'The Food Changemakers Awards recognize the impact of exceptional professionals, brilliant minds whose work and vision bring us closer to a future with good food for everyone. These role models are a cornerstone of our community, which aims to connect people with the greatest capacity and willingness to drive positive impact in the agri-food sector. We've spent seven years creating opportunities among these leaders to accelerate the transformation of the food system.'
Stephen Ritz and Julia Collins, Social Impact and Climate Impact Awards
Alongside the Spanish chef, the awards also recognized New Yorker, Stephen Ritz, with the Food Changemaker Prize in the Social Impact category for his work promoting sustainable and healthy eating among vulnerable youth through his platform Green Bronx Machine. Ritz received the award from the General Director of the NGO Acción Contra el Hambre, Manuel Sánchez-Montero.
Says Ritz: 'From our humble corner of the globe, we are determined to change the world, one child at a time, one classroom at a time, one school & one community at a time. I am humbled that Action Against Hunger recognizes our impact locally and globally. Be it our acclaimed Green Bronx Machine Classroom Curriculum, Green Bronx Machine KIDS! on YouTube, our award-winning documentary, Generation Growth, or our work with Babylon Micro Farms and Tower Garden, this recognition serves to remind all of us that the greatest natural resource in the world is the untapped potential residing in low-status and marginalized communities - we are the heroes we are waiting for - and we are and will continue to be the change we wish to see and be in the world. Children first always!', said Stephen Ritz.
'At Acción Contra el Hambre, we are proud to recognize the work of people like Stephen Ritz and to share with him the conviction that a world without hunger is possible. Thank you for reminding us that change begins with an idea, but multiplies when we work together,' explained Manuel Sánchez-Montero, General Director of Acción Contra el Hambre.
Meanwhile, Californian Julia Collins was awarded the Food Changemaker Prize in the Climate Impact category. The organization valued her innovative vision in leading the decarbonization of the food industry through her platform Planet FWD, which specializes in accessible, rigorous, and transparent environmental impact analysis and measurement processes for the food and hospitality industries. Additionally, Collins has held leadership roles in various food businesses and continues to support women entrepreneurs and other groups through her role as an investor in triple-impact initiatives.
'It's a tremendous honor to receive the KM ZERO Food Changemakers Award for Climate Impact. This recognition celebrates our work at Planet FWD to decarbonize the food industry and move toward a more regenerative future. Thank you to KM ZERO for amplifying this mission and connecting us with a European community committed to transforming the food system', Collins emphasized.
Sustainability was a hallmark of the entire gala, with the trophies awarded to winners made from bioplastic derived from coffee grounds, designed by the pioneering Spanish company in 3D printing and sustainable materials development, Lowpoly.
An initiative born from Europe's largest food think tank
This first edition of the Food Changemakers Awards was held in Madrid, at the gastronomic venue Tramo, following the first 2025 working sessions of Europe's largest food think tank, The Food Changemakers. This group, composed on this occasion of over 100 experts, executives, and leading voices connected to the agri-food sector, was founded by KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub. It worked throughout the day before the awards ceremony with the goal of establishing the foundations for real and long-term change in the current food system, influencing both private sector activity and public policies.
The inauguration of this new think tank session featured the participation of the Madrid Institute for Rural, Agricultural and Food Research and Development (IMIDRA), through its director Mónica Martínez; Ángel Niño, Councilor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the Madrid City Council; and Felipe Turell, CEO of Proyectos Conscientes.
In the words of Ángel Niño, Councilor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Madrid City Council: 'In Madrid, we support industries of the future, and there is no doubt that the food industry is one of the most important in an economy like Spain's. The world will reach around 10 billion people by 2050, and we need our industries to be competitive. Investing in innovation in this area means ensuring efficiency and sustainability in production systems.'
The 2025 Food Changemakers Awards, as well as the meeting of the global leaders' group in food system transformation, is an initiative by KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub, with institutional sponsorship from Madrid Emprende, Madrid Food Innovation Hub, IMIDRA, ICEX, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Embassy of the Netherlands. It also has the support of Familia Martínez, Unilever, Helados Estiu, Vicky Foods, CAPSA FOOD, Huevos Guillén, CEYLAN, Profand, and Grupo Arancia, with collaboration from Proyectos Conscientes and Acción Contra el Hambre, among other entities.
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About KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub:
Our Foundation is dedicated to the transformation of the food system through a global community of industry leaders and change agents. Together they are working on innovations that have a positive impact and promote a more sustainable food model that benefits both people and the planet. For more information, please visit: https://www.kmzerohub.com/en
About Green Bronx Machine:
Green Bronx Machine is an award-winning, nationally acclaimed non-profit that builds healthy, equitable, and resilient communities through inspired education, local food systems, and 21st Century workforce development. Dedicated to cultivating minds and harvesting hope, their school-based model incorporates urban agriculture and Tower Garden supported by their whole-school curriculum aligned to key school performance indicators to grow high performing schools and happy, healthy children. Reaching over 1,000 schools nationally and serving over 325,000 students daily, Green Bronx Machine was named a 2024 Fast Company Most Innovative Company and also offers an online educational platform, complete with instructional videos, free lesson plans, and downloadable teacher resources: Green Bronx Machine KIDS! The organization is presently featured in an award-winning documentary, Generation Growth, which highlights their expansion and success in communities across the nation. Individuals or groups interested in hosting a 'Generation Growth' in-person or virtual screening or learning about additional ways to partner with Green Bronx Machine's mission can contact Stephen Ritz at [email protected] or 917.873.6449.
Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Green Bronx Machine
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