Sustainability

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.

 *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.