Food Waste Intelligence

[Note: Please see here for advice on reducing food waste during a COVID-19 shut down.] Sunday, March 22, is World Water Day, an annual observance organized by the United Nations. We all know the importance of food in our daily lives – and at no time is that more important than in the virus-impacted world of today when our food supplies are being unexpectedly disrupted. So it is fitting that at this point in time we also reflect on our most precious natural resource – water – which makes the growth of our food possible.

In 2019, Leanpath launched the Leanpath 12.3 Initiative, an effort to expand the reach of food waste prevention knowledge and tools to non-profits and educational organizations. As part of the Initiative, we’re excited to report on a research partnership we've joined entitled, “Food Waste and the Environment” sponsored by SESYNC – The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center.

Forward Fooding has released its inaugural FoodTech 500 list – a ranking of the top global AgriFoodTech startups “at the intersection of food, technology, and sustainability” – patterned after the Fortune 500 listing. Leanpath was pleased to be ranked #16 – the highest ranking for a food waste solution – in recognition of the positive impact that we have on making the food system more sustainable by driving food waste prevention at scale.

While overall food waste fell in the UK by an average 7 percent per person between 2015 and 2018, food waste in foodservice and hospitality rose 7 percent.

We had a lot to be grateful for this year. Working with thousands of kitchens around the world, we empowered frontline foodservice workers to prevent over 18 million pounds of food waste, which translates to 15 million meals saved from the bin. Preventing food waste also prevents greenhouse gas emissions from that food waste. Leanpath partners kept over 58 thousand metric tonnes of C02 emissions from entering the atmosphere.