Food Waste Intelligence

You know what your food cost should be. But how often does it hit the mark exactly? When it misses the target, why did it happen?

Although food waste all looks the same by the time it reaches a compost or waste bin, there are actually two types: pre-consumer waste (such as overproduction, spoilage and trimmings) and post-consumer waste (the food left on guests’ plates after a meal). Most operators have focused more management energy on addressing pre-consumer waste because it’s directly within their control.

This year marks an important milestone for LeanPath: we’re celebrating our 10th anniversary as a company, dedicated to food waste prevention. We’re deeply grateful for our client partners over this decade, a group of innovative and passionate people leading the industry as “waste warriors.” We’ve learned so much from you, the people who actually see and understand this challenge most clearly. You’ve inspired us with your enthusiasm for food waste prevention and your work to transform your operations, your communities, the industry, and even the world.

Now, a flashback to 2004 when we started down the “Lean Path.” For those in college & university dining, you likely still had trays in your all-you-care-to-eat dining halls. For those in healthcare food and nutrition, you probably didn’t have room service for patient feeding. “Wellness” and “sustainability” were not terms heard regularly in most foodservice operations. And one thing we know for certain: food waste wasn’t getting much attention.

What's Your Number?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a new report on food waste this month on The Estimated Amount, Value, and Calories of Postharvest Food Losses at the Retail and Consumer Levels in the United States. The latest numbers on the food waste issue are (not surprisingly) staggering: in 2010, food losses equated to $161.6 billion in the U.S. based on retail prices. 31 percent of the food produced was wasted, meaning not available for human consumption at the retail and consumer levels, weighing in at 133 billion pounds.

NOTE: the infographic below was created in 2012, and includes certain statistics that have since become outdated and inaccurate. We are currently working on updating the infographic to reflect the most up-to-date facts.

Food waste is a massive problem. Fortunately, it's been receiving more attention lately, in the news and by international organizations. However, there's still a mountain of work to be done to stop edible food from being wasted in such huge quantities. To help put the issue in perspective, take a look at some food waste statistics we've compiled in the infographic below. Click to enlarge.