News
Cut waste and grow profit
Spt. 21, 2012, Guelph, ON - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that one-third of food produced for human consumption (1.3 billion tonnes) is wasted along the food chain annually.
In Canada alone, an estimated $27 billion of food is wasted annually. It is not just the products themselves that are lost; it is the energy, water, packaging and human resources used in production, transportation, retailing/food service and home storage. Rotting food also has a negative environmental impact by creating the greenhouse gas, methane. The true implications of food waste are enormous.
What can be done to address this crisis?
To help businesses manage these issues and increase their profitability, the Value Chain Management Centre is hosting a forum on reducing food waste. “Cut Waste, Grow Profit: How to reduce food waste, leading to increased profitability and environmental sustainability” will be held November 19, 2012, at Maple Leaf Foods’ ThinkFOOD! Centre, in Mississauga.
Programs that will be discussed include the ‘Waste and Resource Action Plan (WRAP)’, ‘Marks & Spencer’s ‘Plan A’, the ‘Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainability Pillar’, and Grocery Manufacturers Association and Food Marketing Institute’s ‘Food Waste Opportunities and Challenges’.
Martin Gooch, Director of the Value Chain Management Centre stated, “The sustained reduction of food waste can only be achieved by improving how the entire value chain operates, from the farm to the consumer. The forum is not about reinventing the wheel; it is about learning, adapting and improving current approaches to best suit the Canadian environment.”
Confirmed speakers include Andrew Telfer, Walmart (Canada), Anne Tennier, Maple Leaf Foods, Professor Ralph Martin, Loblaw Companies Limited Chair in Sustainable Food Production (University of Guelph), and Dr. Keivan Zokaei, University of Buckingham (UK).
Early registration is now available by contacting the conference coordinator, Karen Bilton at 519.822.3929 ext 205 or karen@georgemorris.org. Online registration will soon be available at www.georgemorris.org.
About The Value Chain Management Centre
The Value Chain Management Centre is the only Canadian organization dedicated to researching value chain issues and opportunities, and assisting businesses to implement value chain initiatives. It is a subsidiary of the George Morris Centre, a national, independent, economic research institute that focuses on the agriculture and food industry.
September 21, 2012 By The George Morris Centre
