WasteMINZ is calling for the food and waste industries to work together to solve the issue of food waste in Aotearoa New Zealand.

WasteMINZ and New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3 will host an online food waste summit next month, bringing people from across the food value chain together to answer questions such as: how can the food and waste sectors work together to address food waste in New Zealand; what data do we have in New Zealand; and what else do we need to know to solve the issue?

The summit will explore the collaboration required to support Aotearoa’s moves to reduce our food waste and delve into the data behind the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor’s latest food waste report.

WasteMINZ Chief Executive Nic Quilty said globally, an estimated 40% of food does not make it from the paddock and packhouse to the plate. Food waste is not only expensive for food-related businesses but when sent to landfill, it produces harmful greenhouse gases such as methane and CO2.

“Even though Aotearoa produces enough calories to feed 20 million people, one in five tamariki live in households reporting that food runs out sometimes or often,” Nic said.

“Each and every part of the food chain has a part to play in reducing food waste in Aotearoa New Zealand - whether you’re a farmer who grows our food, you pack it, sell it, cook it, rescue it, dispose of it, or anywhere in between.

“This summit aims to get everyone together to share what they know works, what doesn’t work, and investigate how we can collaborate for a more sustainable future.”

New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3’s Kaitlin Dawson said: “Both locally and internationally, there has been promising momentum in addressing food waste, but turning that momentum into real, measurable action requires collaboration across the entire food system.

“This summit provides a vital opportunity to unite key players, drawing on international experience and local expertise, to not only learn but also strategise how we can amplify our collective efforts.”

The summit includes keynote speakers:

• Kaitlin Dawson, from New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3, who will be exploring NZ’s food waste progress, gaps and pathway forward;
• Professor Sheila Skeaff, from Otago University, who will cover what data we have in NZ and how we can build a more robust dataset; and
• Sam Oakden from End Food Waste Australia, who will share Australia’s progress towards halving food waste by 2030.

Former Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Dame Juliet Gerrard, will facilitate a panel of experts to ask if New Zealand should have a national food waste strategy.

There will also be an interactive breakout session that will locate everyone on the food supply chain, identify the data that everyone holds and what more data is needed, and explore the underlying drivers for food waste.

About WasteMINZ

WasteMINZ is the largest representative body of Aotearoa New Zealand's waste, resource recovery and contaminated land sectors. We are the authoritative voice on waste, resource recovery and contaminated land management in New Zealand, with members from small and large waste operators, materials recovery facilities, community groups, researchers, food rescue groups, major supermarkets, tech companies, packaging producers, contaminated land specialists, consultants and many others looking to make a difference to the environment.

About New Zealand Food Waste Champions

New Zealand Food Waste Champions (NZFWC) is a national, independent charitable organisation that holds a whole of system lens on food waste and its impact on our environment, communities and businesses. NZFWC is leading action on food waste in Aotearoa by fostering connection and collaboration across the food system, advocating for policy and industry change, and activating best practice solutions.

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