Western Australia’s food and beverage businesses now have a new online toolkit to help reduce waste, cut costs and capture value-add opportunities.
Food Waste PRO (Prevention and Reduction Opportunity) was launched today at the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology & Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Food & Beverage Industry Conference in Perth.
The resource was delivered as part of the Post Harvest Food Waste Transformation project, funded by the WA Government with support from the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and Curtin University.
The free online decision-making toolkit guides individual businesses and industry groups through simple steps to explore and assess the commercial feasibility of options to reduce food waste.
DPIRD food industry innovation manager Kim Antonio said Food Waste PRO would help WA businesses build profitability, sustainability and resilience.
“This tool is a practical, innovative initiative, backed by academic and commercial research to help WA food and beverage businesses confidently invest in circular solutions to reduce waste and capture opportunities,” he said
“With food waste costing the Australian economy about $36.6 billion each year, this investment will help WA businesses take action while improving their environmental, social and governance credentials to remain internationally competitive.”
The toolkit features a series of user-friendly data collection templates, waste calculators, decision aids and cost-benefit analysis to identify pressure points and opportunities to inform and de-risk investment in food waste solutions.
The process helps users consider possible preventative strategies, such as improved processing and procurement, staff training and extending product shelf life, as well as options to value add to second grade produce or by-products.
Food Waste PRO has been tested by a range of WA production and processing businesses across the horticulture, grains, meat and seafood industries.
“The Food & Beverage Industry Conference was a great event to showcase this new tool, drawing together industry, academia, research regulation and government sectors to discuss market trends, nutrition and sensory science, managing allergens and AI in the food industry,” Mr Antonio said.
“There has already been Statewide interest in the tool from a range of businesses and industry groups in how this valuable tool could benefit their operations, with positive feedback from early adopters.”
To find out more, view video case studies and access the Food Waste PRO visit the DPIRD website.
