Rethink Food Waste Through Economics and Data (ReFED) recently published A Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste by 20 Percent. ReFED, a collaboration between more than 30 businesses, nonprofits, foundations and government leaders, was founded in 2015 to create the first national study and action plan for reducing food waste in the U.S. The roadmap…
Whole Foods announced last week that it will start selling ‘ugly produce’ (vegetables and fruit that do not conform to the company’s aesthetic standards) in select stores beginning in April. They are partnering with Imperfect Produce, a company launched last summer that sells bruised, blemished, or misshapen fruits and vegetables to food retailers at a discounted rate,…
GreenBiz reports a new collaboration to research and identify strategies for reducing food waste known as Rethink Food Waste through Economics and Data (RFED). ReFED is led by a group of businesses and foundations including Sodexo, Deloitte Consulting, MissionPoint Capital Partners, and the Closed Loop Fund. ReFED research has identified $165 billion in annual lost revenue in the…
Food Tank recently reported on the not-for-profit grocery store, The Daily Table, and their mission to reduce food waste while alleviating the problem of food insecurity. The Daily Table makes healthy foods affordable by selling products that are close to or past their display code dates at a discounted price point. The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic has created a fact…
In February, Food Engineering Magazine published an article on tactics that food and beverage manufacturers are taking to reduce waste. Food and beverage processors are using a wide variety of methods to reduce waste; these efforts help meet company’s sustainability goals while offseting manufacturing costs. The article includes some tips from RecyclingWorks for reducing waste.…
In December, The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), and Lovin’ Spoonfuls, announced their plans to minimize food waste while increasing food security in eastern Massachusetts. The two organizations are collaborating to distribute excess perishable food to member agencies. The Greater Boston Food Bank, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is a non-profit hunger-relief organization that serves more…
The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic (HFLPC) recently produced a video, EXPIRED? Food Waste in America, on how inconsistent date labeling laws contribute to the problem of wasted food. This video expands on the issue identified in the Date Labeling Fact Sheet that HFLPC produced for the Food Donation Guidance for Massachusetts businesses on…
UMass Amherst recently published a report on a residential compost pilot program in one of their dormitories. A trash sort in the fall of 2014 determined that more than a quarter of the waste from the North Apartments was food waste. The original pilot in one dorm, North D, was completed during the fall of…
The Cambridge Day reports on how Food For Free has helped rescue and distribute 1.6 million pounds of surplus food since 1981. Food donation is one strategy that businesses can use to comply with the Massachusetts Commercial Organics Waste Ban. The Good Samaritan Food Donation Act provides liability protection to businesses that donate surplus food. Businesses that…
The Boston Globe reports on BJ’s Wholesale Club’s partnership with Feeding America to help donate surplus food to those in need. BJ’s locations work with 45 local food banks in 15 states including the Greater Boston Food Bank to donate fresh produce, baked goods, dairy products, meat, and fish. GBFB helps to feed as many…
