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Driving Systemwide Change
In the U.S., a staggering 38% of all food goes unsold or uneaten – the equivalent of 145 billion meals annually. It's valued at $473 billion, roughly 1.8% of U.S. GDP, and it produces annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 30% of U.S. passenger vehicle transportation.
ReFED is a national nonprofit that leverages a holistic view of the food system to collaborate with key audiences and generate large-scale, meaningful impact. Recognized as a leading voice for change, we accomplish our work by:
News & Events
Article
California Passes Game-Changing, First-In-The-Nation Law To Standardize Date Labels
October 2, 2024
This past weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the nation’s first legislation to standardize quality and safety date labels on food products “to create clarity and consistency and better inform consumers in order to significantly reduce food waste in the state.”
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ReFED Shares Concerns About Recent Food Waste Ban Study
October 1, 2024
A recent paper published in Science suggesting that state-level food waste bans are largely ineffective has been getting a lot of attention in the media and in our food waste industry.
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How the ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund is Maximizing Every Dollar for Food Waste Solutions
September 27, 2024
Read ArticleLeveraging Data & Insights
Food waste is a solvable problem.
But to solve it, businesses, governments, investors, and innovators need data to determine where to focus their efforts and see what their impact would be, along with expert resources to identify the most effective ways to reduce food waste. From the release of our very first Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste to the launch of our Insights Engine, ReFED has served as a definitive source for data and economic analysis on food waste and the solutions to fight it, with a trusted history of producing tools and resources that support action.
Your Source for Data and Solutions
ReFED Insights Engine
The Insights Engine is a first-of-its-kind information hub offering a detailed analysis of food surplus and waste by sector, state, and year; its causes and impacts; and the most effective solutions to fight it. Built from more than 50 public and proprietary datasets, it features an extensive cost-benefit analysis of 40+ solutions that can drive measurable reductions up and down the supply chain, a growing directory of solution providers ready to partner on food waste initiatives, and more.
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A Guide for Taking Action
Roadmap to 2030: Reducing U.S. Food Waste
A comprehensive blueprint for systemwide change that builds on the solutions in the Insights Engine, the Roadmap to 2030 identifies seven key action areas to help guide the food system’s efforts to reduce food waste by half. Plus, it includes detailed stakeholder recommendations, an overview of essential levers like policy and innovation, and an in-depth financial analysis to help direct the private, public, and philanthropic funding needed to move the needle.
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Research Current Policy
Food Waste Policy Finder
Policy is unique in its power to provide a spark that can move the food system to action, and throughout the last few years, a range of policies have been enacted to support efforts to cut the amount of food lost or wasted at all stages of the supply chain. Our Policy Finder helps you explore legislative and regulatory policies on the federal and state levels, best practices, and case studies – plus use the color-coded map to compare policies in across the country.
Learn MoreCatalyzing Capital & Innovation
Food waste solutions offer environmental, social, and economic returns.
ReFED’s analysis shows that an annual investment of $18 billion – including $4.7 billion from catalytic sources – can reduce food waste across the food system by more than 21 million tons each year and generate $78 billion in annual net financial benefit. It would also cut greenhouse gas emissions, save water and cropland, create jobs, and recover billions of meals for those in need. ReFED is driving this impact by empowering innovators and shepherding the capital needed to help scale solutions, with a suite of best-in-class resources and services.
Explore Our Tailored Resources
Capital Providers
Capital of all types is needed to reach food waste reduction goals, but funders don’t always know where their money can make the most impact. We’ve pulled together a comprehensive assessment of the financing opportunities associated with developing and scaling food waste solutions, as well as additional resources and services to help you reach your funding goals.
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Explore Our Tailored Resources
Solution Providers
We’re committed to growing the impact of food waste solution providers through partnership opportunities, awareness building, pitch events, and a range of tools and resources – all designed to help you get your solution in front of funders and prospective business partners.
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A New Tool in the ReFED Insights Engine
Food Waste Capital Tracker
The Capital Tracker offers a deep-dive look at food waste funding from private capital and philanthropic sources, including industry-wide trends and deal-level details. Through an extensive analysis of data from PitchBook and other resources, ReFED has created a first-of-its-kind platform to support capital providers and solution providers in developing their food waste funding strategies.
Learn MoreMobilizing Businesses & People
A systemwide problem requires systemwide action.
Food loss and waste occur up and down the entire supply chain, and decisions made at one stage frequently affect what happens at another. That’s why ReFED is working to connect stakeholders from across the food system in mutually beneficial collaborations, through industry and sector partnerships, stakeholder networks, cross-sector events – including our annual Food Waste Solutions Summit – and more.
Increase Your Impact
Food Waste Action Network
Designed to inspire collaboration between individuals and organizations from across the food system and from a diverse set of backgrounds, the Food Waste Action Network offers a range of free programming, including networking opportunities, lunch n’ learns, innovation demo days, and more.
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Accelerate the Flow of Capital
Food Waste Funder Circle
A special network designed for private, public, and philanthropic funders – both individual investors and representatives from funder organizations– interested in using their capital to solve food waste challenges, the Food Waste Funder Circle offers tailored programming and resources for education, collaboration, and investment.
Learn MoreHow You Can Fight Food Waste
Food waste affects us all, so we all have a role to play in fighting it. No matter how you’re connected to the food system, there are things that you can do right now to bring about change – our action pages explain how.
Collaborate with Us
There’s A Place For You In This Movement
Whether you’re from a food business or nonprofit… are a funder, solution provider, policymaker, or researcher… have subject matter expertise or are new to the topic… see all the ways that we can work together.
Donate to ReFED
Help Us Create A Sustainable, Inclusive, And Resilient Food System
Reducing food waste is a core solution to fight climate change, increase food security, and make the best use of the money being spent to grow, harvest, process, transport, store, and consume food. Your support of ReFED helps us guide the food system in making changes that will benefit us all.
Our current donors include:
