B2B marketplace Yume has announced a free webinar series for 2020 to reframe the approach to food waste in Australia. It is partnering with waste management and recycling company Suez for the series, which starts next month. Food & Drink Business is the media partner.
CEO Katy Barfield told Food & Drink Business that the spotlight on commercial food waste is growing. “The market is changing and so are consumer attitudes. They are demanding more from their favourite brands,” she said.
The free webinar series will run throughout the year, with the first event on 13 March.
“We want to bring the experts to the stage, providing businesses with the latest national and international trends. Throughout the series we will look at case studies from both here and overseas and most importantly, look at what practical tools companies can use to resolve their food waste challenges and become industry leaders,” Barfield said.
On 13 March, the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) special adviser food waste Mark Barthel will share publicly – for the first time – the Australian Voluntary Commitment Program. Barthel launched the Courtauld Commitment in the UK which was a key success factor in the UK’s fight against food waste.
Barthel will cover the current state of food waste in Australia, outline the National Food Waste Strategy [Implementation] Roadmap and discuss the “art of the possible”, looking at what food businesses can do to reduce food waste.
There will also be time for a Q&A.
Barthel has worked in food and agricultural sustainable innovation for 25 years, with more than half that time quantifying and preventing food loss and waste around the world.
He was involved in developing international evidence base for food loss and waste, creating national baselines (volumetric, compositional and behavioural) and annual tracking of progress at corporate, sectoral and national levels.
Barthel also helped establish world-leading voluntary agreements between the public and private sector to reduce food waste and redistribute surplus food to those in need; and has run award-winning behaviour change campaigns.
Throughout his career, Mark has helped implement more than 50 research and innovation projects with food and drink companies and their trade bodies.
Series 1: Is 2020 the year we tackle commercial food waste in Australia?
When: 13 March 2020
Time: 9:15-10am AEDT
Cost: Free
Registration: Click here
Since it launched in 2016, Yume has secured 2500 registered buyers and 250 suppliers of surplus food. Copmanies include Kellogg's, Unilever, Mondelez, Spotless and Accor. It is one of only three companies globally using technology to offer a market for surplus food.
To date, Yume has:
- diverted 1.4 million kilograms from landfill;
- saved 2.8 million kilograms of CO2;
- donated 23,209 kilograms of food to food rescue organisations; and
- saved 97 million litres of water.
