U.K. Supermarket Store Gives Away Cartloads Of Unsold Holiday Produce

An Asda supermarket branch in Wales decided it didn’t want to waste the unsold produce accumulated over the holidays. It created a sensation in the Barry community as shopping carts full of leftover carrots, broccoli, parsnips, and brussels sprouts were given away free of charge to surprised and happy shoppers. Some of the food was collected for the homeless, charities, soup kitchens or owners of livestock. Store managers at other Asda outlets apparently were free to do the same thing at their own discretion.

"Supermarket Gives Away Trolley-Loads of Free Food Left Over from Christmas to Make Sure Nothing Goes to Waste", Mirror (U.K.), December 30, 2017

Potato Chip Company Turns Ugly Spuds Into Gold

Rather than discard potatoes deemed too small or too large or too blemished for regular potato chip production, Pennsylvania’s Dieffenbach Potato Chips has launched the “It’s Good to be Ugly” campaign to reduce waste and fight hunger. The campaign follows the launch of its Uglies Kettle Chips last year. The company works with local farmers to acquire surplus and blemished potatoes, which are cooked in small batches like its regular potatoes. A total of 350,000 pounds of potatoes have been kept from landfills since the launch of Uglies Kettle Chips last year, according to the company.. 

"Ugly Chips are All the Rage in Fight against Food Waste in America", BakeryAndSnacks.com, January 10, 2018

Walton Family Invests In Colorado Food Waste Company

A Colorado-based start-up whose mission is to cut food waste by buying at a discount excess or rejected foods from supermarkets and selling it to foodservice companies has caught the eye of an investment arm of the billionaire Walton family. Foodmaven completed an $8.6 million fundraising round, including Walton money, to continue acquiring, for example, still edible frozen pizzas with a mistake on the box, excess chicken from supermarkets, and produce rejected for cosmetic reasons. FoodMaven has 700 customers in Colorado, including restaurants, hospitals, and large institutional cafeterias, and expects $10 million in revenue this year.

"Second-Hand Pizza Seen as Next Big Thing by Richest U.S. Family", Bloomberg Quint, January 10, 2018

Food Waste Start-Ups Face Four Key Organizational Challenges

A number of companies have launched in recent years to tackle the staggering problem of fruit and vegetable produce that never reaches the consumer’s shopping cart because it is deemed below commercial grade. Cosmetically challenged produce nevertheless retains intrinsic value: it is edible, nutritious, and marketable, at least somewhere. Though still small, companies like Imperfect Produce, Hungry Harvest, Full Harvest, and the new iPhone app goMkt, are pursuing solutions to the problem of delivering edible discarded food to the needy. More such initiatives are likely to emerge in the coming years. According to a university professor, each of these businesses faces four challenges: schematizing of quality distinctions to allow useful pricing; creating an efficient distribution system; nailing down liability issues when produce deteriorates prior to delivery; and ensuring profitability. 

"Beneath the Bruises: A New Market for Old and Ugly Fruit and Vegetables Takes Shape", The Economist, January 11, 2018

Australian Technology Solves Food Waste, Creates New Products

Banana-growing couple Rob and Krista Watkins have patented and trademarked a technology that turns any fruit or vegetable – but especially discarded, unmarketable produce – into powder in less than 25 minutes. The powder can be used to make any number of food products, including flour and cake pre-mixes, resistant starches, ointments, and vegan protein mixes. Vertically integrated Natural Evolution Foods in Queensland, Australia, uses its proprietary NutroLock technology – an in-line, cold, raw, low-speed food processing technique – to turn green bananas into flour and resistant starch. Its facility can produce eight tons of banana flour a week, with 10kg of bananas making 1kg of flour.

"Natural Evolution Foods: Adding Value to Queensland Bananas", The Weekly Times, January 16, 2018

Growing Public Awareness Will Make Food Waste A Major Issue In 2018

Global food waste is a problem of staggering proportions. It encompasses edible food that is lost, left uneaten or thrown away; imperfect fruits and vegetables that are never sold; and edible food thrown away because it’s past its best-before date. However, growing awareness and concern about the issue might make 2018 the year when minimizing food waste becomes a bona fide movement. A surge in veganism reflects consumer concern not only about what we eat but whence it comes. Global educational campaigns are trying to raise awareness about waste. Food waste initiatives and sustainable practices campaigns are popping up all over, especially in the hotel and restaurant industry. “Public awareness is an important step in changing the food culture,” says sustainability expert Ivano Iannelli.

"Minimising Food Waste: A New Culinary Trend for 2018", The National, January 18, 2018

N.Y. State Legislators Move To Incentivize Commercial Food Donations With Tax Credits

A Republican Senator and colleagues in the New York State legislature is tackling the food waste problem by co-sponsoring legislation to create a tax credit of up to $5,000 for grocery stores, food brokers, wholesalers, restaurateurs, and catering services that donate surplus or about-to-waste food to local food banks and pantries. The tax credit proposal builds on a measure enacted last year that created a tax credit of up to $5,000 for farmers who donate fresh produce to food banks and other emergency food providers. “We need to keep taking commonsense actions like this one to stop perfectly good, fresh, nutritious food from ending up in landfills and waste incinerators and, at the same time, to help combat hunger,” Sen. Thomas F. O’Mara said. 

"O’Mara Calls for Tax Credit to Grocers, Others Donating Surplus Food", The Leader, January 20, 2018

DoorDash Tries A Unique Solution To The Food Waste Problem

Food delivery app DoorDash has come up with a scheme to put the 50 tons of its extra restaurant food that gets tossed annually into dumpsters and landfills to better use. Pilot programs set up in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City allow local restaurants to donate their unused food to food banks. DoorDash delivery people pick up the food and drop it off at Feeding America hubs that in turn redistribute it. After January, DoorDash will seek to partner with national restaurants already available on the app and have those sponsor donations each month. 

"DoorDash Now Delivers Surplus Food to Fight Hunger", Mashable, January 28, 2018