Water and Nutrient Circularity as a Service (WaNCaaS) : a feasibility study for new business models to close the water and nutrient cycles in the food industry

Closing water and nutrient cycles in the food industry is essential for sustainability. This project promotes water reuse and nutrient recovery by treating wastewater as a resource. Despite progress in solid waste valorization, liquid streams in food production are underexplored. Wastewater from the food industry can be repurposed, e.g., for irrigation and nutrient recovery. The project proposes Water and Nutrient Circularity as a Service (WaNCaaS), where external provid-ers manage water and nutrient circularity for food industries, so that the latter can focus on their core business. Our research focuses on the feasibility of this model through two case studies, with a salad and a cottage cheese producer, aiming to foster regional cooperation and a sustainable food system.