Food Waste Intelligence
Posted By Andrew Shakman, President & CEO on Jul 7, 2025
The fight against food waste is not a sprint; it’s a multi-act play, and from my perspective, it’s clear we’ve entered a critical "Second Act." This current phase demands a renewed focus on practical solutions, smart technology, and the enduring business case for waste reduction. As I recently discussed in an interview with The Spoon, we're well beyond the initial awakening, but not yet at the finish line.
While many organizations have made significant strides in food waste reduction, the pressing question now is how to maintain momentum and scale solutions in an evolving landscape, where the world is still off track on the United Nations’ goal to cut food waste in half by 2030.
The Enduring Power of the Business Case
One of the key considerations in this "Second Act" is the renewed emphasis on the financial benefits of food waste reduction. When our work in food waste prevention began, the conversation was almost exclusively about "pulling dollars out of the garbage" – a direct focus on food productivity and margin expansion. Over time, our understanding broadened to encompass the critical nexus of climate, food security, and environmental impact. However, in the current environment, there's a practical shift towards simplifying the business case, a focus that resonates immediately with businesses facing economic pressures.
This doesn't mean abandoning the profound environmental benefits. Rather, it acknowledges the immediate and tangible value proposition that resonates with operations facing constrained margins. The financial return on investment for food waste prevention remains incredibly strong, offering a compelling entry point for organizations, regardless of their sustainability mandate. The beauty lies in the dual benefit: saving money inherently contributes to a more sustainable operation. It allows organizations to "stealthily push sustainability" by focusing on a universally understood metric: cost savings.
AI: From Measurement to Actionable Insights
Another significant aspect of this "Second Act" is the intelligent application of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence. While AI in the form of computer vision has proven highly effective for quick and accurate food waste measurement, its true power lies in driving action. I understand that culinary teams don’t want to spend their valuable time sifting through data. They want to create, connect, and deliver exceptional experiences.This is where the next generation of AI in food waste prevention comes in. We're leveraging AI to provide busy culinary teams with direct, impactful recommendations. Imagine an AI solution telling a chef exactly what steps to take next to reduce waste, offering the "big picture" without requiring deep data analysis. This approach delivers precisely what’s needed for immediate improvement, even accessible on a mobile device, empowering efficient decision-making in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
Breaking Down Data Silos for Coherence
To truly unlock the potential of AI and drive comprehensive action, a significant hurdle remains: data silos. The foodservice industry is often characterized by disparate systems – from POS systems for sales to inventory management and, of course, waste data. These systems frequently operate in isolation, depriving operations of crucial context.
The real breakthrough will come from triangulating these data assets. By bringing together information about what was sold, what was purchased, and what was wasted, organizations can gain unprecedented insights into their operations. AI can then act as the "mechanism of coherence," transforming fragmented data into a unified, actionable understanding. This integrated vision, combining frontline tools with enterprise-level oversight, is essential for scaling prevention efforts across large organizations.
Empowering the Changemakers
Ultimately, the success of this "Second Act" rests on the shoulders of the individuals working in kitchens. These are the true changemakers in food waste prevention. While the business case provides a strong logical foundation, it's often the emotional connection to preventing waste – the moral imperative, the desire to do good – that truly inspires and sustains behavioral change.
Technology, especially AI, must be additive, not a distraction. It needs to make chefs better at their craft, not burden them with administrative tasks. By delivering efficient solutions that empower kitchen teams with tangible, actionable insights, we can align financial incentives with the deeply personal motivations of those on the front lines. This alignment of action with purpose is what will truly propel the food waste prevention movement through its challenging "Second Act" and toward a more sustainable and profitable future for all.