FMI Enhances Effort To Help Reduce Food Waste
FMI - The Food Industry Association has joined the U.S. Food Waste Pact, becoming the first trade organization to connect with the national voluntary agreement focused on reducing food waste in the U.S.
According to ReFED, 31% of food produced in the United States goes uneaten or unsold, with the vast majority becoming waste that gets sent to landfills, incinerators, and sewer systems. This surplus food, 73.9 million tons each year, is equivalent to 120 billion meals, and it is valued at $382 billion, giving food businesses a unique opportunity to help their bottom lines while simultaneously helping their community.
In joining the Pact, which is co-led by nonprofits ReFED and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), FMI links up with 20 other companies and organizations.
“FMI has a long history of working to address food waste,” said Andy Harig, vice president of Tax, Trade, Sustainability, and Policy Development at FMI. “Highlighting the importance of food waste reduction has been a priority for us for over a decade, and we’re pleased to continue that journey by joining the U.S. Food Waste Pact. This will give us an opportunity to collaborate directly with food businesses across the industry and share best practices from our wider lens as an industry association.”
Since 2011, FMI has been part of the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, a partnership also including the Consumer Brands Association and the National Restaurant Association, which works to address the root causes of food waste within food business operations and secure pathways to donate or recycle unavoidable food waste. FMI’s work has included educating consumers about date labels and developing The FoodKeeper, a mobile app and online database containing information about storage and food safety.
“As an industry association with a large and diverse membership base, FMI brings a vital and unique perspective to food waste prevention and reduction,” said Jackie Suggitt, vice president of Business Initiatives & Community Engagement at ReFED. “FMI has been such an important leader on a number of key issues, and we look forward to their collaboration with other Pact signatories as they share their unique industry-wide expertise and best practices.”
Several retailers, including Ahold Delhaize USA, Aldi US, Amazon Fresh, Raley’s, Walmart Inc., and Whole Foods Market, are among the companies that have signed onto the Pact.
