Hazelnut pulp usually thrown away during food production has been turned into a chocolate macaron by University of Reading students, who have won the UK’s top student food innovation prize.
Team IndulgeCo took the Gold Award at Ecotrophelia UK 2026 for Favé, a sweet treat built around the leftover pulp, beating six other university teams from across the country. The win means the team will now represent the UK at the Ecotrophelia Europe final, held this year in Sial, Paris in October.
Hazelnut pulp is a by-product left behind during nut processing and is typically discarded as waste. The Reading team found a way to incorporate it into a macaron shell, pairing it with a mousse made from UK-grown fava beans. Each 55g macaron contains around 10g of fibre, far exceeding standard products in the category, while the paper sleeve packaging was made partly from hazelnut shells/skins. The recycled PET tray made using 70% recycled content.
The Favé team, made up of Benjamin Leroy, Kam Bautista, Xintong Qiao and Charlie Reavell, developed the product from initial concept through to final packaged prototype over the course of the competition.
Benjamin Leroy, a 22-year-old University of Reading Food Science student from Sleaford, Lincolnshire, co-created Favé. He said: “Hazelnut pulp gets thrown away in huge quantities during processing, so we wanted to find a way to use it rather than waste it. Getting the taste and texture right took a lot of trial and error, but we wanted to prove that a sustainable ingredient doesn’t mean giving anything up. Winning gold has been an amazing moment for the team, and we can’t wait to take Favé to the European final. We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved, and proud to be representing Reading.”
Celebrating teaching excellence
Ecotrophelia is a Europe-wide competition run in the UK by the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) and Campden BRI. It challenges student teams to design new eco-innovative food products, covering everything from food safety and nutrition to marketing, packaging and business planning.
The final took place at Gastronomica, Colworth Science Park, where seven finalist teams pitched their eco-innovative food concepts to judges from major food and drink companies including Nestlé, Unilever, Tesco, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. Judges described Favé as giving consumers “a clear justification for indulgence through added fibre and sustainable ingredients, allowing them to enjoy a premium dessert while still feeling that it is a more balanced choice.”
Reading also fielded a second finalist team, Luna SFere, whose iron-fortified chocolate bites were developed for teenage girls to help address common iron shortfalls during puberty. The teams competed in Ecotrophelia after developing their ideas in the New Product Development module of their undergraduate Food Science degrees. The module is available to all students studying Food Science courses at the University of Reading.
Dr Maria (Jose) Oruna-Concha, academic lead for the New Product Development Module and Ecotrophelia, said: “This result reflects the calibre of food science teaching and research happening here at Reading. Having two teams reach the national final, with one going on to win gold, shows what our students are capable of when they’re given real industry challenges to solve alongside first class teaching. Food innovation is a genuine strength for the University, and it’s directly linked to our Agrifood Futures work, which brings together research and teaching to tackle real challenges in sustainable food production. It’s brilliant to see that translate into recognition at this level.”
Chris Wells, Visiting Professor at the University of Reading’s Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, said: “Getting two teams to the final and scooping Gold at Ecotrophelia is a real achievement for the University of Reading. Being recognised at a national competition judged by top food industry experts shows that the University’s teaching leads to real world skill development in product innovation, food safety management and environmental sensitivity.”
