Dive Brief:
- The Rockefeller Foundation announced last week its partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and 10 private sector and non-profit organizations to develop a national online resource center for sharing ideas about reducing food waste, according to a news release.
- "Further With Food: Center for Food Loss and Waste Solutions" will host online a comprehensive hub where all parties can share information and solutions to help achieve the country's goal of halving food waste by 2030.
- Goals of the initiative include encouraging widespread adoption and scalability of proven solutions, fostering better coordination among all stakeholders and reducing the risk that stakeholders will duplicate their efforts.
Dive Insight:
Manufacturers are just one of innumerable stakeholder groups that could benefit from this type of nationally accessible resource. Many companies are already pursuing food waste initiatives through partnerships that monetize food waste as an additional revenue stream. These include beverage packaging or even premium water developed from byproducts like juice wastewater or pumpkin seeds.
Retailers are another key benefactor. As more retailers embrace ugly produce, value-added produce from in-store departments and other food waste-related initiatives, others will be able to see the return on investment of time and money for a particular effort might offer.
This resource also offers the opportunity for collaboration among a host of other stakeholders, such as legislators and consumers. They may bring unique innovative solutions that could otherwise be missed by manufacturers and retailers who don't share the same perspective of the food industry and supply chain.