Food Recovery in Modern Sustainability Strategy

Airlines never fuel an aircraft with exactly the amount needed for the journey. They carry reserve fuel because uncertainty is part of ensuring every passenger reaches their destination safely. Foodservice operates on the same principle. Kitchens prepare enough food to ensure every guest is served, knowing that demand can never be predicted with perfect accuracy. In both industries, the priority is the customer. One ensures no passenger is left behind. The other ensures no guest goes unfed. As someone who works with data and forecasting models, I've learned that uncertainty isn't a flaw - it's an inherent part of forecasting. What defines operational excellence isn't eliminating that uncertainty, but how you manage it. It's inspiring to see Restaurant Associates, a member of Compass Group USA, partnering with Food Rescue US. When surplus food is unavoidable, technology and strong community partnerships help ensure it reaches people who need it most instead of ending up in a landfill. To me, that's what sustainability looks like - using data, operations, and collaboration to turn unavoidable uncertainty into meaningful social and environmental impact. Kudos to everyone behind the scenes Sally Lindel Funt, M.B.A. Alaina Shields Caitlin O'Shea and Corina Hellmer. It was always a pleasure working with you.

Through our partnership, Compass Group teams have helped recover more than 1.26 million pounds of surplus food across 13 states. Every pound rescued is a family fed, a partner supported, and a landfill avoided. We're forever grateful to Compass Group USA and the Restaurant Associates team for making food recovery a central part of the strategy!

A stronger food system is one where good food feeds people, not landfills. Goal three of the Food Systems Plan focuses on reducing food waste through coordinated, community-wide solutions. By strengthening food recovery networks, supporting infrastructure, and fostering collaboration across the food system, we can reduce waste while improving food access and environmental sustainability. Reducing food waste is a shared responsibility, and meaningful progress happens when organizations, businesses, institutions, and communities work together.

Food waste is often seen as unavoidable, but in many cases, it's preventable. The issue isn't that there's too much food. It's that surplus food doesn't always have a plan. With better coordination, proper storage, and timely recovery, food that would otherwise be discarded can support communities instead. Every tray recovered is an opportunity to reduce waste, protect valuable resources, and make a meaningful impact. 👉 Learn more about food recovery at b12give.ca #FoodRecovery #FoodWaste #ReduceWaste #FoodRescue #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #CommunityImpact #ZeroWaste #FoodForGood #B12Give

🍎 Reducing food waste can also help address food insecurity. Food waste and food insecurity continue to exist side by side. The challenge is knowing where edible food is being lost—and how to keep it in circulation for human consumption. The new CSA K100:26 – Food Loss and Waste: Terminology and Measurement standard provides municipalities and organizations with a consistent framework to identify where food loss and waste occurs and support strategies that prioritize prevention, recovery, and redistribution. 🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/4gymDt8 You will also have the opportunity to learn directly from CSA Group at the 2026 RCA Circular Economy Conference, where they’ll lead the workshop Treasure from the Tide: Finding Value in Food Waste Prevention – Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Practical Strategies for Communities and Organizations. Explore the conference program to learn more about the session: https://lnkd.in/e66yWRR This is a sponsored post from Circular Economy Community by CSA Group #CircularEconomy #FoodWaste #FoodLoss #Sustainability #AlbertaRecycling #Standards #CSA

I came across an article from edie about food waste and it got me thinking. We talk so much about how we’re going to feed a growing population, especially with climate change making food production more difficult and unpredictable. But we already produce a lot of food. We also waste a lot of it. And that’s the bit that bothers me. Working in hospitality, I see how easy it is to focus on what happens to food waste after it’s been created. Can we compost it? Can we divert it from landfill? Can we find another use for it? All good questions. But the first question should probably be: why did we have this much waste in the first place? Was too much ordered? Too much prepared? Were the portions too big? Did we understand what guests actually wanted? Because by the time food reaches the bin, we’ve already used the water, energy, land, transport and labour that went into producing it. For me, that’s where the bigger opportunity is. Yes, compost what we can. Find good uses for unavoidable food waste. But let’s get much better at preventing it in the first place. With the pressure on our food systems only increasing, wasting less of what we already have feels like one of the most obvious places to start. Worth a read if you have a few minutes. https://lnkd.in/e8asKgWv #FoodWaste #FoodSystems #Sustainability

🍓🌱 Reducing food waste this summer Summer brings plenty of opportunities to enjoy fresh, seasonal food but it’s also a time when food waste can increase through BBQs, gatherings and changes in routine. A few simple habits can help: ✅ Plan shopping carefully ✅ Store food correctly to keep it fresher for longer ✅ Use leftovers creatively ✅ Freeze food before it goes to waste ✅ Compost suitable food scraps where possible Reducing food waste helps conserve the resources used to grow, transport and produce our food. Small changes at home can contribute to a more sustainable future. 🌍 Want to learn more about why preventing food waste matters? Valpak's Paul Reynolds explores the importance of reducing food waste and how food waste collections can help us recover valuable resources in this blog: https://okt.to/yx2kcS #RecycleMore #FoodWaste #Sustainability #CircularEconomy

“The wind is at our backs, and it’s time to step on the gas.” In our latest blog, ReFED Executive Director Sara Burnett reflects on five milestones from the first half of 2026 that demonstrate the progress being made across the food system—from new research and policy leadership to industry collaboration and national recognition. Highlights include: -- New ReFED reports showed measurable progress on food waste reduction and new research on AI’s role in reducing waste -- ReFED received a 2026 The James Beard Foundation Impact Award for advancing a more sustainable and equitable food system -- New research identified consumer demand for restaurant portion customization, a solution that could reduce 2.35 million tons of food waste annually while saving the foodservice sector an estimated $547 million -- Nearly 700 leaders convened at the 2026 Food Waste Solutions Summit to accelerate action across the food system -- ReFED published its first-ever federal food waste policy priorities, outlining bipartisan opportunities to reduce waste, strengthen farm resilience, and improve affordability Read Sara’s perspective on the momentum behind the food waste movement and what’s next 👉 https://lnkd.in/gMbNTxak #FoodWaste #FoodSystems #Sustainability #CircularEconomy

🍎 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 🤝🍲 While millions of tons of perfectly edible food end up in landfills, urban food insecurity continues to rise. Bridging this gap is one of the most impactful ways local governments can build circular, caring cities. To support this transition, UNDP SDG Local Action have mapped out a practical directory of digital solutions and apps specifically designed to help municipal leaders take action. Continuing our series on the six categories of food waste intervention, today we are highlighting tools for food redistribution. These platforms help local governments manage food resources within the city and ensure food reaches those who need it most. 🛠️🏙️ 👉 Swipe through to see which digital tools can power your city's food rescue efforts! 👇 Ready to scale up food recovery in your community? Explore the tools and guidelines here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gagQaFPM #FoodWaste #CircularEconomy #LocalGovernments #SustainableCities #FoodRescue #WasteManagement #SDG11 #SDG12 #LocalAction #UNDP

I bet you didn't know this.... . Food waste doesn’t start at the bin. 🗑️😳 It starts much earlier—in the 3 P’s: Planning, Purchasing and Preparation. If we only focus on what ends up in the bin, we’re missing the biggest opportunity to reduce waste, save money and improve environmental performance. The real savings happen when we prevent food waste before it is created. Because sometimes, it’s not about doing things better. It’s about doing better things. 🎥 Watch this 60-second insight from Sian on where food waste really begins. #FoodWaste #FoodWastePrevention #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #Hospitality #FoodSystems #WasteManagement #CaribbeanSustainability