Reduce, Recover, Reuse Food Waste
By: Laura Abshire, National Restaurant Association; Meghan Stasz, Grocery Manufacturers Association;
and Jeanne von Zastrow, Food Marketing Institute
The old adage waste not, want not reminds us that there is direct correlation between the prudent use
and the adequate supply of a resource. That is especially true for food, which is why sustainability
remains a priority issue among the 1,225 food retailers, 300 food and consumer products companies,
and more than 500,000 restaurant businesses, our respective associations represent. While they are
three very different links in the food chain, food retailers, food manufacturers and restaurateurs share a
common goal when it comes to reducing food waste. Food waste education is a huge and complex issue
– bigger than any of us – which is why we forged a business alliance to pool resources, engage new
partners and offer educational platforms that help our members address the opportunities, challenges
and best practices in reducing food waste.
As founding members of the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, we established our platform with three
major business goals: 1.) Reduce food lost within our operations so it never becomes food waste in the
first place; 2.) Recover safe and nutritious food that might have been wasted by sending it to our
partnering food banks; and 3.) Recycle unavoidable food waste by diverting away from landfill and
moving it to productive use, including animal feed, compost or food to energy.
Today, we launched a series of infographics that capture key findings of a new report, the 2014 Analysis
of U.S. Food Waste Among Manufacturers, Retailers and Restaurants, prepared by BSR for the Food
Waste Reduction Alliance. The infographics offer a quick view of some of the differences found in the
three different industry waste streams, but taken together present the bigger picture of our united
efforts to waste not, want not.
Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and National Restaurant
Association (NRA) represent three big trade associations tackling one big problem: Food Waste.
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Manufacturers and Food Waste: http://tinyurl.com/kag4auw
Grocery Stores and Food Waste: http://tinyurl.com/lmnl2t4
Restaurants and Food Waste: http://tinyurl.com/l7ryxp9
*The infographics pertain to a new report, 2014 Analysis of U.S. Food Waste Among Manufacturers,
Retailers and Restaurants, prepared by BSR, which is the second analysis by the Food Waste Reduction
Alliance.
FMI, GMA and NRA make up the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, an industry-led initiative focused on
reducing food waste by increasing food donation and sending unavoidable food waste to productive use
(energy, composting) and away from landfills. For more information and the complete report visit
www.foodwastealliance.org
http://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/Conserve/FWRA-Principals-Letter