Natural Choice Foods was named the winner of this year’s Food Safety Innovation Award for its efforts to address food waste through innovative repackaging and redistribution approaches.
By Ashley Eisenbeiser, Vice President, Food and Product Safety Programs, FMI
Food safety and sustainability rarely share the same headline—but Natural Choice Foods (NCF) is proving that innovation at the intersection of the two is not only possible, it’s transformative. NCF has earned FMI’s 2025 Food Safety Innovation Award for its unique and impactful solution to address food waste and food safety by creating a closed-loop system for repackaging and redistributing excess food from major food manufacturers.
NCF is the eighth recipient of FMI’s Food Safety Innovation Award, an annual award presented in partnership with the International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI). The award recognizes companies who have made an innovative contribution or commitment to food safety, and encourage others in industry, government and academia to search for creative solutions and implement new practices in continuing to keep our food the safest it can be.
NCF’s innovation benefits food safety and food waste by enabling proper redistribution of excess private brand and foodservice products that would otherwise be discarded. Their process adheres to strict food safety standards as well as partnering with regulatory agencies in order to provide independent operators and small distributors with a secondary market for safe products nationwide. NCF’s approach not only supports the environment by diverting millions of pounds of food from waste but also enhances food access in communities through more affordable retail and food service channels. In 2024 alone, NCF repackaged and redistributed over nine million pounds of food that would have likely ended up in landfills.
We are proud to recognize Natural Choice Foods as this year’s recipient of the Food Safety Innovation Award for their innovative approach to address the growing challenge of food waste in a safe, responsible and economically beneficial way. By combining food safety, sustainability and supply chain efficiency, NCF is reshaping how excess food is managed in the U.S. food system.
Industry Topics address your specific area of expertise with resources, reports, events and more.
Our Research covers consumer behavior and retail operation benchmarks so you can make informed business decisions.
Events and Education including online and in-person help you advance your food retail career.
Food Safety training, resources and guidance that help you create a company food safety culture.
Government Affairs work — federal and state — on the latest food industry policy, regulatory and legislative issues.
Get Involved. From industry awards to newsletters and committees, these resources help you take advantage of your membership.
Best practices, guidance documents, infographics, signage and more for the food industry on the COVID-19 pandemic.
