[GUEST BLOG] Turning Food Waste into Value: Lessons From Retail

John Bernardo has worked in sustainability and resource conservation for over three decades, most recently on Albertsons Companies’ Sustainability team. And over that 30-year period, John came to the conclusion that wasted food—especially when 1 in 7 Americans are food insecure—tops all other “wastes” he has witnessed and attempted to correct. Now a private consultant, John reflects on the lessons he learned advancing food waste reduction and donation in complex retail environments.

What first drew you to working on food waste?

My interest in food waste came from my broader interest in resource conservation. Before sustainability was even a commonly used term, the work I was doing was under resource conservation. Doing this work, I developed my operating mantra: “In business, as in nature, all wastes are assets in disguise.” This principle represents how I looked at waste throughout my career. When I joined a national grocery retailer, food waste felt like a natural connection to that mantra.

How did you shape your approach to food waste reduction over your career?

My career in retail has always been at the corporate level, but I deliberately spent time in stores shadowing employees to better understand the true nature of our business. Being close to the food that is being prepared, unboxed, merchandised, and sold gives you a different perspective of the complex route food takes to serve its main purpose of feeding people. By enhancing food donations, you are able to maintain food for its main purpose and keep it at the highest value. Being in the store helped me fully understand what task I was given as far as reducing food waste or donating more food.

What helped you gain leadership buy-in for food waste and donation initiatives?

The most effective approach was always tying food waste diversion and food donations to the store’s profit and loss statement. There are some tax deduction benefits associated with food donations, but the reduced cost of sending for waste hauling or diversion for compost or anaerobic digestion makes a real difference. Many associates know donation is free, but they don’t always realize that other diversion pathways still cost the store money.

Equally important was showing a smooth integration with existing retail operations. If an initiative added too many steps or conflicted with how stores already functioned, it wouldn’t gain traction. Store directors are focused on sales and what goes out the front door of a store. Anything leaving through the back door—trash, recycling, or unsold food—is often seen as lower priority, and changing that mindset takes time and very practical program design.

What metrics resonated most with executives?

Weight-based data was incredibly powerful. Retailers already know the weight of almost anything coming into their stores, especially through distribution centers. The difficulty is in tracking what doesn’t sell. If you can capture the weight of donated food, it becomes possible to say something like: at an average store, 30% of the weight of products brought in does not generate revenue. Suddenly, you can set real goals to reduce that percentage. That elevates food donations and recycling from a sustainability conversation to a core business discussion.

Which operational practices made the biggest difference on the ground?

Department-specific donation protocols had the greatest impact. Each department operates differently, so donation guidance has to reflect that reality. Prepared foods in the service deli require different handling than bruised but still edible produce. Once we tailored protocols to specific departments, donation volumes increased, particularly in produce. Clear, practical guidance helped associates make better decisions without disrupting their primary responsibility of selling food.

What ideas didn’t work as expected?

I initially believed constant visual reminders, like posters in back rooms, would help reinforce donation practices. In reality, they were largely ignored. Training videos and online modules had similar limitations, especially given high turnover and the pace of store operations. Associates are focused on serving customers and keeping shelves stocked. Managing unsold items naturally falls lower on the priority list, so communication methods have to align with that reality.

What were the biggest barriers to expanding food donation?

Culture was a major barrier. Past failed attempts tend to linger in people’s memories, making them skeptical of new programs. There’s also a common concern that improving donation will encourage overproduction. Operationally, donation programs are often limited by the capacity of food bank partners. Staffing shortages, transportation challenges, and inconsistent pickups, especially post-COVID, can undermine store confidence. When donations aren’t picked up reliably, space becomes an issue, and products may end up being discarded anyway.

What did you learn about motivating frontline staff?

If you want people to do something consistently, they need to understand why it matters and feel good about doing it. I tried to emphasize that donating food helps the store by reducing costs, but it also helps the local community. Strengthening relationships between stores and food donation partners was especially effective. When associates see where the food goes and who it helps, participation becomes much more meaningful.

What trends will shape food waste work in retail over the next few years?

Rising food costs and economic pressures are likely to increase food insecurity, which means demand for donations will only grow. At the same time, higher production and distribution costs will make efficient food handling even more critical to store profitability. I also expect changes in how retailers participate in donation, including greater use of technology, social platforms, and new logistics models that connect surplus food more directly with people in need.

What’s your top piece of advice for food businesses today?

Start upstream. Focus on minimizing overordering and overproduction, and maintain food in a fresh, saleable state for as long as possible. Then make sure you have efficient, well-integrated systems for moving unsold food out of the store, while capturing the data needed to keep improving. Food waste reduction isn’t just about doing the right thing. When done well, it conserves resources, supports communities, and strengthens the business at the same time.

About the Author: John Bernardo previously led food waste donation and diversion at Albertsons Companies. John now offers targeted resource conservation consulting services for businesses. You can reach out to John through his LinkedIn, or over email ([email protected]).

The views and opinions expressed in this guest blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ReFED.