Simplot's hackathon conceives new food baby

Simplot's 'food hackathon' competition has resulted in a new food app which helps consumers decide what to eat using food images instead of a written menu.

Called Chewsr, the app was the winning idea that emerged from #Hackfood, held in Sydney on 6-8 November.

Over 100 entrepreneurs, foodies, chefs and developers came together to discuss digital technology solutions for problems faced by Australia’s food industry.

The winning team from Chewsr described the app as ‘the food baby of Tinder and Uber’.

Other finalists’ ideas included Herd.Tech – a mobile app used for early identification of sick livestock to reduce the spread of disease across herds; and MyGourmet, which can deliver chef-prepared ingredients 'one step away' from restaurant-quality dining at home.

Simplot, the food manufacturer which recently launched the new gourmet frozen meals delivery brand called Dish'd, hopes to apply a 'hackathon' style of problem solving to its own business.

The winner will now be given the opportunity to pitch their idea to a panel of investors to receive $30,000 in seed funding, and become involved in the Simplot Food Innovation Program.