# data[].attributes.headline
Slide #13 - Recommendations and Best Practices

# data[].attributes.subject
Slide #13 - Recommendations and Best Practices

# data[].attributes.body
For our society to tackle the ethical issue of food waste, it is important that we, as vital members of the American food supply chain, understand the situation we are in and follow our principles of corporate citizenship and adhere to any laws, statutory or administrative, that may influence our actions.

We must use our organizational capabilities of data collection and analysis to find and understand any pain points along our processes where unnecessary waste is created.

We must make ourselves aware of any technological advancements or scientific breakthroughs, specific to alleviating food waste, that we as business entities can implement and use to mitigate our own waste issues.

We must develop individual plans to anticipate, locate and donate viable food products to organizations, such as Feeding America and their network of local food banks, before the food goes to the landfill.

Any information that we uncover in our processes, or technological advancements we create, that could be useful beyond the scope of our business, should be shared with collaborative organizations, such as ReFED.

We should encourage our associates to be mindful of food waste in their private lives by creating a corporate culture that promotes donation, educates on mitigation options, and minimizes waste.

We, as leaders in our industry and communities, should lead by example, lead with authenticity, and lead with conviction and character. We have the power and ability to feed, to nourish our neighbors and their families, and we should not be allowing that opportunity to, literally, go to waste.

# data[].attributes.body
ReFED (www.refed.org) is a national nonprofit organization that uses data-driven solutions to solve the issue of food waste.

Since the nationwide food supply network is broad and complex, ReFED partners with Federal agencies, such as the FDA and USDA, and major players in the food business, such as Walmart, Del Monte, Kroger, and Lamb Weston, to not only supply valuable information, but to help implement action within their own scope (ReFED, n.d.).

ReFED's vast database of information, collected from every link in the United States food supply chain, allows for tangible data to be analyzed, understood, and used as a tool to implement real change, real reduction, in the amount of food waste.

ReFED. (n.d.). We're advancing data-driven solutions to fight food waste. https://refed.org/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our Funders

Collaboration is at the core of everything we do, and we could not accomplish our mission without the generous support, involvement, and enthusiasm of our growing number of funders:

*The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation or The Kroger Co.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Food Waste Recycling Analysis, Reduce Food Waste & Food Recovery - ReFED

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ReFED identifies comprehensive food waste recycling solutions for businesses of all sizes in the United States. We are committed to reducing U.S. food waste.

# data[].attributes.body
The Citizenship Principle of the Global Business Standards (GBS) Codex per authors Paine, et al.(2005):

"Act as responsible citizens of the community. Respect the law, protect public goods, cooperate with public authorities, avoid improper involvement in politics and government, and contribute to community betterment."

For businesses within the United States food supply chain, it would be a citizenship imperative to strive to reduce food waste, for their own financial sake, but also as an ethical principle to better their communities.

The GBS Codex consists of eight governing principles used to guide ethical behavior in the business world. The GBS originated at Harvard Business School and was first published in the Harvard Business Review (Paine et al., 2005).

Paine, L., Deshpandé, R., Margolis, J., Bettcher, K. (2005). Up to Code: Does Your Company’s Conduct Meet World-Class Standards? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2005/12/up-to-code-does-your-companys-conduct-meet-world-class-standards

https://hbr.org/2005/12/up-to-code-does-your-companys-conduct-meet-world-class-standards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Up to Code: Does Your Company’s Conduct Meet World-Class Standards?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
New research reveals an emerging global consensus on basic standards of corporate behavior.

# data[].attributes.body
Although more and more effort is being put into dramatically decreasing the amount of food being wasted in the supply chain both here in the United States and abroad, that data collected is still pointing to it growing. According to author Deena Shanker (2023):

The US produced 91 million tons of surplus food in 2021, a 4.8% increase over 2016

Households are by far the largest contributor to America’s food waste problem, responsible for nearly half of the total surplus. Produce farms accounted for 17% of the total, manufacturing was responsible for nearly 15%, foodservice about 14% and retail about 6%

According to the executive director of ReFED, Dana Gunders, “We are not making anywhere near the progress we need to be to reach the 2030 goal" - that by 2030, food waste levels will be reduced by half compared to 2016 numbers

Total food waste is still difficult to quantify accurately, as it is dumped into one of many piles of unmeasured garbage, so estimates are needed to make up for the significant gaps in data - ReFED’s now draws on more than 80 data sources in an effort to close those data gaps

The underlying problem in the United States, experts say, is a cultural mindset that has certain expectations around food, since food is cheap(er) and abundant - ReFED proposes 42 food waste solutions, and a public information campaign sits at the top of the list

Shanker, D. (2023, April 20). New Data Shows US Food Waste Is Getting Worse. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-20/the-us-has-a-food-waste-problem-and-it-s-getting-worse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy.

Need Help?

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

# data[].attributes.body
As awareness to the incredible scope of food waste in the United States and around the globe continues to grow, individuals and organizations are looking for and creating ways to mitigate its expansion, one of which is by using science. According to author Dee-Ann Durbin (2022):

U.S. food waste startups raised $4.8 billion in 2021, 30% more than they raised in 2020

Innoscentia is developing a sensor that can determine whether meat is safe depending on the buildup of microbes in its packaging

Ryp Labs is developing a sticker that would release a vapor to slow the ripening process in produce

SavrPak developed a plant-based packet designed to fit inside a takeout container and absorb any condensation, keeping the food hotter and crispier

Hazel Technologies created a sachet the size of a sugar packet which can slowly release 1-MCP into a box of produce. *1-methylcyclopropene, or 1-MCP, is an EPA-approved, non-toxic gas that has been used for decades to delay the ripening process in fruit

Most food waste happens at the residential level - lowering portion sizes and/or purchasing smaller batches of food at a time can help alleviate food waste in the home

Improving the accuracy of date labels could have even more impact than technology, and is one of the issues at the forefront of food waste mitigation

Durbin, D. (2022, December 9). Fight to curb food waste increasingly turns to science. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/business-climate-and-environment-df1114de488c2d48836f538591ec9de2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hate mealy apples and soggy french fries? Science can help.

Restaurants, grocers, farmers and food companies are increasingly turning to chemistry and physics to tackle the problem of food waste.

Some are testing spray-on peels or chemically enhanced sachets that can slow the ripening process in fruit. Others are developing digital sensors that can tell - more precisely than a label - when meat is safe to consume. And packets affixed to the top of a takeout box use thermodynamics to keep fries crispy.

Experts say growing awareness of food waste and its incredible cost - both in dollars and in environmental impact - has led to an uptick in efforts to mitigate it. U.S. food waste startups raised $4.8 billion in 2021, 30% more than they raised in 2020, according to ReFed, a group that studies food waste.

"This has suddenly become a big interest," said Elizabeth Mitchum, director of the Postharvest Technology Center at the University of California, Davis, who has worked in the field for three decades. "Even companies that have been around for a while are now talking about what they do through that lens."

In 2019, around 35% of the 229 million tons of food available in the U.S. - worth around $418 billion - went unsold or uneaten, according to ReFed. Food waste is the largest category of material placed in municipal landfills, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which notes that rotting food releases methane, a problematic greenhouse gas.

ReFed estimates 500,000 pounds (225,000 kilograms) of food could be diverted from landfills annually with high-tech packaging.

Among the products in development are a sensor by Stockholm-based Innoscentia that can determine whether meat is safe depending on the buildup of microbes in its packaging. And Ryp Labs, based in the U.S. and Belgium, is working on a produce sticker that would release a vapor to slow ripening.

SavrPak was founded in 2020 by Bill Birgen, an aerospace engineer who was tired of the soggy food in his lunchbox. He developed a plant-based packet - made with food-safe materials approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration - that can fit inside a takeout container and absorb condensation, helping keep the food inside hotter and crispier.

Nashville, Tennessee-based hot-chicken chain Hattie B's was skeptical. But after testing SavrPaks using humidity sensors, it now uses the packs when it's catering fried foods and is working with SavrPak to integrate the packs into regular takeout containers.

Brian Morris, Hattie B's vice president of culinary learning and development, said each SavrPak costs the company less than $1 but ensures a better meal.

"When it comes to fried chicken, we kind of lose control from the point when it leaves our place," Morris said. "We don't want the experience to go down the drain."

But cost can still be a barrier for some companies and consumers. Kroger, the nation's largest grocery chain, ended its multiyear partnership with Goleta, California-based Apeel Sciences this year because it found consumers weren't willing to pay more for produce brushed or sprayed with Apeel's edible coating to keep moisture in and oxygen out, thus extending the time that produce stays fresh.

Apeel says treated avocados can last a few extra days, while citrus fruit lasts for several weeks. The coating is made of purified mono- and diglycerides, emulsifiers that are common food additives.

Kroger wouldn't say how much more Apeel products cost. Apeel also wouldn't reveal the average price premium for produce treated with its coating since it varies by food distributor and grocer. But Apeel says its research shows customers are willing to pay more for produce that lasts longer. Apeel also says it continues to talk to Kroger about other future technology.

There is another big hurdle to coming up with innovations to preserve food: Every food product has its own biological makeup and handling requirements.

"There is no one major change that can improve the situation," said Randy Beaudry, a professor in the horticulture department at Michigan State University's school of agriculture.

Beaudry said the complexity has caused some projects to fail. He remembers working with one large packaging company on a container designed to prevent fungus in tomatoes. For the science to work, the tomatoes had to be screened for size and then oriented stem-up in each container. Eventually the project was scrapped.

Beaudry said it's also hard to sort out which technology works best, since startups don't always share data or formulations with outside researchers.

Some companies find it better to rely on proven technology - but in new ways. Chicago-based Hazel Technologies, which was founded in 2015, sells 1-methylcyclopropene, or 1-MCP, a gas that has been used for decades to delay the ripening process in fruit. The compound - considered non-toxic by the EPA - is typically pumped into sealed storage rooms to inhibit the production of ethylene, a plant hormone.

But Hazel's real breakthrough is a sachet the size of a sugar packet that can slowly release 1-MCP into a box of produce.

Mike Mazie, the facilities and storage manager at BelleHarvest, a large apple packing facility in Belding, Michigan, ordered around 3,000 sachets this year. He used them for surplus bins that couldn't fit into the sealed rooms required for gas.

"If you can get another week out of a bushel of apples, why wouldn't you?" he said. "It absolutely makes a difference."

The science is promising but it's only part of the solution, said Yvette Cabrera, the director of food waste for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Most food waste happens at the residential level, she said; lowering portion sizes, buying smaller quantities of food at a time or improving the accuracy of date labels could have even more impact than technology.

"Overall as a society, we don't value food as it should be valued," Cabrera said.

___

AP National Writer and Visual Journalist Martha Irvine contributed from Belding, Michigan.

__

This story has been corrected to show that food waste startups raised $4.8 billion in 2021, 30% more than they raised in 2020, not $300 billion in 2021, double the amount raised in 2020.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fight to curb food waste increasingly turns to science

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hate mealy apples and soggy french fries? Science can help. Restaurants, grocers, farmers and food companies are increasingly turning to chemistry and physics to tackle the problem of food waste.

# data[].attributes.body
The Food Waste Reduction Alliance (www.foodwastealliance.org), a collaborative effort of the Consumer Brands Association, The Food Industry Association (FMI), and the National Restaurant Association (NRA) released a new report that highlights experience-driven advice to keep perfectly good food out of landfills.

Based off of industry interviews and research, the report recommends several ways to reduce food waste (Food Waste Alliance, 2020):

Forge an internal food waste reduction culture

Research local infrastructure

Recover and redistribute surplus food to feed the community

Measure current food waste status

Consider composting

Food Waste Reduction Alliance. (2020, March 3). New Report Provides Tips to Jump Start Food Waste Reduction Across Food Sectors. https://www.foodwastealliance.org/new-report-provides-tips-to-jump-start-food-waste-reduction-across-food-sectors/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
New Report Provides Tips to Jump Start Food Waste Reduction Across Food Sectors

Posted at March 03, 2020 in Press Releases

The lessons learned span foodservice, manufacturing, grocery and restaurant

Washington, D.C. (March 3, 2020) - Today the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) - a collaborative effort of the Consumer Brands Association, FMI - The Food Industry Association, and the National Restaurant Association-released a new report, Messy but Worth It: Lessons Learned from Fighting Food Waste, that highlights experience-driven advice to keep perfectly good food out of landfills.

For the guide, FWRA interviewed food manufacturers, grocers and foodservice operators to get their best tips on how to successfully launch a food waste reduction program and to sustainably nurture it over time. Some of the report's key recommendations include:

Forge an internal food waste prevention culture. Education and cross-functional teamwork will help shift an organization's status quo.

Research local infrastructure. Seek opportunities for food diversion at the local level and plan based on available resources.

Recover and redistribute surplus food to feed the community. A nonprofit partner can improve and expand efforts to donate food and will enhance community impact.

Measure current food waste status or it won't get managed. Measuring edible retail food waste isn't always straightforward, so understanding an organization's food waste "foodprint" along the supply chain reveals opportunities for logistics improvement.

Consider composting. If composting is an option, the experts believe it's a great addition to a comprehensive diversion strategy.

"The best way we can end the food waste crisis is by learning from the organizations, companies and people who have successfully done so, which is why this report is so critical for helping our collective industries combat it," said Meghan Stasz, vice president, packaging and sustainability, Consumer Brands Association. "While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, this report provides the framework for companies large and small to institute smart, scalable solutions to reducing food waste."

FMI Vice President, Tax, Trade, Sustainability and Policy Development, Andy Harig, said, "Our organizations all share a common goal to showcase practical application of proven food waste mitigation strategies and reduce operational costs - this guide adds color to the process."

"The findings in this report help highlight the restaurant industry's commitment to food waste reduction, and the deep challenges that come with making systemic improvements," said Laura Abshire, director of food and sustainability policy for the National Restaurant Association. "We believe the stories in this report capture important lessons learned and we encourage our members to look to the findings for the small changes they can make to advance their food waste reduction initiatives."

Food waste reduction efforts are constantly evolving. This report is companion to the FWRA Best Practices and Emerging Solutions Guide, last updated in 2015, which includes strategies from food manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators to assist likeminded organizations to keep food out of landfills and reduce food waste at the source.
About the Food Waste Reduction Alliance The Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) is a collaborative effort of the Consumer Brands Association, the Food Industry Association, and the National Restaurant Association. The FWRA's mission is to reduce the volume of food waste sent to landfill by addressing the root causes of waste, and securing pathways to donate or recycle unavoidable food waste. About Consumer Brands Association The Consumer Brands Association champions the industry whose products Americans depend on every day. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting more than 20 million American jobs. About FMI As the food industry association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain - from retailers that sell to consumers, to producers that supply food and other products, as well as the wide variety of companies providing critical services - to amplify the collective work of the industry. About the National Restaurant Association Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show May 16-19, 2020, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, and .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New Report Provides Tips to Jump Start Food Waste Reduction Across Food Sectors | Food Waste Reduction Alliance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The lessons learned span foodservice, manufacturing, grocery and restaurant Washington, D.C. (March 3, 2020) - Today the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) - a collaborative effort of the Consumer Brands Association, FMI - The Food Industry Association, and the National Restaurant Association-released a new report, Messy but...

# data[].attributes.headline
Slide #1 - Topic, Professional Perspective, and Audience

# data[].attributes.subject
Slide #1 - Topic, Professional Perspective, and Audience

# data[].attributes.body
Over the past several years, the idea of creating shared value, which is the pursuing of company success while simultaneously providing societal benefits (Kramer, M. & Pfitzer, M., 2016), has become a mainstay and part of the backbone of American corporate citizenship. This coincides with and supports the notion that “many of the world’s problems…are so far-reaching that solutions require the expertise and scalable business models of the private sector” (Kramer, M. & Pfitzer, M., 2016). Therefore, many organizations have volunteered to spread their influence and expertise across the country, attempting to tackle societal obstacles such as food waste.

The topic of food waste is an important one, for no other reason than when staring down at the numbers of how many millions of tons of food go to waste every year in the United States alone, it becomes harder and harder to explain, justify, why so many millions of Americans are food insecure and hungry.

As an associate at Rich Products (Rich’s), an international manufacturer of food products for retail, foodservice, and in-store bakery, understanding what we can do to prevent needless food waste along our production and supply chains and using data-driven solutions to counter this critical issue is at the forefront of our sustainability initiatives. Rich Products in Buffalo, NY, (Rich Products, n.d.) describes its commitment to the community as such:

"By doing our part as a corporate citizen and mobilizing our associates, neighbors, partners, and customers around common social causes, we strive to gain insights, cultivate understanding, drive collaboration, and empower change in service of the greater good."

This legal and ethical guide is designed to inform and entice any organization - their executives and associates - within America's food chain to do their part in voluntarily working to reduce food waste.

Kramer, M. & Pfitzer, M. (2016, October). The Ecosystem of Shared Value. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/10/the-ecosystem-of-shared-value

Rich Products. (n.d.). Our Impact. https://www.richs.com/our-impact/community/

# data[].attributes.body
In the United States it is estimated that 38% of all food goes unsold or uneaten, which equates to about 149 billion meals annually. Drilling down even further, it is estimated that about 33% of all food in the U.S., or 80 million tons, goes to waste destinations such as landfills, incineration, “down the drain”, or simply left in the fields to rot. The 91.6 million tons that goes unsold or uneaten is roughly 2% of the U.S. GDP, valued at $444 billion (ReFED, n.d.).

It is also noteworthy that Feeding America estimates 34 million people, or 13.8 million households, in the United States are food insecure, with 53 million people turning to food programs in 2021 alone (Feeding America, n.d.). These are hard numbers to accept when so much food is going to waste instead of into the mouths of hungry people.

As someone who has worked in various capacities within the foodservice industry over the past 20 years, the issue of food waste can no longer be viewed as simply the cost of doing business but rather must be seen as the ethical issue that it is.

Currently, there is no federal requirement, mandate, law, or code intended to prevent edible and useful food from ending up as waste. Likewise, only a handful of states have passed laws with the explicit purpose of tackling the issue of food waste.

However, several bills have recently been introduced in the United States Congress, such as the Zero Food Waste Act and the COMPOST (Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion of Sustainable Techniques) Act, in an effort to reduce the amount of food waste.

Feeding America. (n.d.). Hunger in America. https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america

ReFed. (n.d.). Fighting Food Waste. https://refed.org/food-waste/the-problem/#what_is_food_waste

# data[].attributes.body
Rich Products – Fighting Hunger with Food Waste Solutions

Rich Products Corporation. (n.d.). Protecting Our Planet: Consuming Responsibly by Wasting Less.

Administrative Law

https://www.richs.com/our-impact/sustainability/protecting-our-planet/

Rich’s goal is to cut corporate food waste in half by 2030 as part of their partnership with the 10x20x30 initiative. The 10x20x30 initiative brings together 10+ of the world’s largest food retailers and providers, each engaging at least 20 suppliers to halve food loss and waste by 2030 (Rich's, n.d.).

Rich's. (n.d.). Our Impact. https://www.richs.com/our-impact/sustainability/protecting-our-planet/

# data[].attributes.body
Zero Food Waste Act (unenacted bill)

Zero Food Waste Act, H.R. 652, 118th Cong. (2023). https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/652/text

Federal Statutory Law

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/652/text

The Zero Food Waste Act would provide grants to state governments, Native nations, and local communities to implement food waste prevention, rescue, or recycling projects.

Provide $650,000,000 in grant funding through the EPA for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2031

Offer funding for a wide array of food loss and waste projects, including but not limited to: research on waste generation and management, measurement and data collection, and implementation of food waste reduction

# data[].attributes.body
Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Law

Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Law, Cal. S.B. 1383 §§ 3, 6 (2016)

State Statutory Law

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB1383

SB 1383 §§ 3 and 6, as part of a broader climate-change law, requires for the necessary organic waste recycling and food recovery capacity needed to divert organic waste from landfills into recycling activities and food recovery organizations to lower food waste in landfills by 75% by 2025.

A 75-percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2025

Shall include requirements intended to meet the goal that not less than 20 percent of edible food that is currently disposed of is recovered for human consumption by 2025

# data[].attributes.body
Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison

Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison, 7 U.S. Code § 6924 (2018)

Federal Administrative Law

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2021-title7/pdf/USCODE-2021-title7-chap98-subchapI-sec6924.pdf

The Secretary of Agriculture will establish a Food Loss and Waste Reduction Liaison to coordinate federal, state, local, and non-governmental agencies and programs to measure and reduce the amount of food waste.

Conduct a study on food waste which will include the measurement of food waste, factors that contribute to food waste, the cost of food waste, contributing factors, and the effectiveness of existing protections provided by the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act

Enter into cooperative agreements with non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education and research centers for the development of educational materials, to conduct workshops and courses, and conduct research on best practices in regard to food waste reduction and food recovery

Coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies such as the EPA and FDA in food waste reduction efforts

Make recommendations for expanding and innovating ways to reduce food waste and increase food recovery

# data[].attributes.body
Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act

Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, 42 U.S. Code § 1791 (1996)

Federal Statutory Law

https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s5329/BILLS-117s5329enr.pdf

To encourage donation of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations for distribution to individuals in need, The Bill Emerson Food Donation Act establishes Federal protection from civil and criminal liability for persons involved in the donation and distribution of food and grocery products to needy individuals when certain criteria are met.

Protects one from liability when donating to a non-profit organization

Protects one from civil and criminal liability should the product donated in good faith later cause harm to the recipient

Standardizes donor liability exposure. Someone, and his or her legal counsel, do not need to investigate liability laws in 50 states

Sets a floor of gross negligence - intentional misconduct - for persons or organizations who donate grocery products.