Quick tips to reduce wasted food for food retailers & manufacturers:
- Download SCDES's Smart Businesses Don't Waste Food Guide.
- Conduct a waste audit. Determine what you waste and how much it's costing your business.
- Partner with local farmers. Meet with a local farmer to plan your produce availability around what is in season.
- Love ugly fruits & veggies. Stores don’t have a requirement to only purchase perfect produce. Help reduce waste by using odd-looking fruit and veg for value added items, or encourage your customers to stop rejecting those that look different.
- Keep an accurate inventory. Use the FIFO method: first in, first out. Upgrade your inventory system to help manage the process.
- Be creative. Use overstocked items for cooking demos and tastings.
- Donate. Instead of tossing extra produce, canned goods, or prepared but unserved food, develop relationships with local food banks and shelters. Feeding the Carolinas can help you find neighboring agencies. Feeding the Carolinas Foodbanks
SCDES supports and encourages donation. Is it legal for retailers and manufacturers to donate? YES!
- Include customers. Make sure consumers know what your business is doing to reduce food waste and encourage them to help.
- Compost. Find a compost hauler/vendor or community garden. Find vendors via the SC Recycling Markets Directory.
Benefits:
- Potential cost savings.
- Feeding people, not landfills.
- An opportunity to enhance reputation with guests, staff, and investors.
- Increased job satisfaction through employee engagement in the program.
Other Resources:
- SCDES's S.C. Smart Business Recycling Program provides free, confidential technical assistance for recycling and food waste reduction.
- The S.C. Department of Agriculture offers information about Retail Food Safety and Compliance.
- The Food Waste Reduction Alliance is an industry-led initiative focused on reducing wasted food by increasing donation and diverting unavoidable food waste from landfills through productive use (e.g., composting). FWRA also offers a Tool Kit for interested businesses.