Description:

The Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) is an industry-wide effort launched in 2010 and focused on addressing food waste, in particular within the section of the supply chain from the food manufacturer to retail grocery and restaurant. It is led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), Food Marketing Institute (FMI), and National Restaurant Association (NRA), with active leadership and participation by its members.

The Alliance seeks to reduce food waste throughout the supply chain. The goals of the FWRA are three-fold:
1. To avoid and reduce food waste wherever possible within members’ operations and supply chains.
2. To increase the donation of safe and healthy foods that would have gone to waste and to send food to food banks to help address hunger issues.
3. To divert unavoidable food waste away from landfills toward higher value uses, such as animal feed, composting, and waste-to-energy.

The companies and organizations involved in this effort have undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the sources of food waste. The first assessment (Tier 1) was based on publicly available data. The second assessment (Tier 2), which is the focus of this report, is based on primary data collected directly from companies. This primary data allows for a more accurate estimate of food waste in the U.S. food manufacturing, retail, and wholesale sectors than what other sources have collected to date. This first industry assessment will allow FWRA members to benchmark the current state of food waste diversion, improve the measurement and management of food waste, and track progress over time.

In addition to this assessment, the FWRA also focuses on identifying issues, new technologies, and industry practices that support its goals.