And just like that, day two of the 2025 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit is in the books. While we’re still digesting all of the insights and information that’s been shared (as well as the delicious food), it’s clear that a few key themes are emerging:

• The time to act is now: “Other sustainability issues might be slowing down, food waste is not. Reducing food waste is something we can make progress on now,” emphasized ReFED President Dana Gunders during the first Mainstage session. “We can talk about it until we’re blue in the face, but we need to do something about it,” encouraged emcee Joel Gamoran in his opening remarks. Factors like high food prices, cuts to food assistance, increasing household food waste, and the growth of artificial intelligence are all contributing to now being the “perfect time to address food waste.”

• Food waste is a bipartisan issue—and that’s unique: “The bipartisan nature of food waste is huge; it is a topic that I can put on any agenda at any moment, and that is a really big deal in federal government.” These were some of the closing words of U.S. EPA Director Nena Shaw, and they echoed remarks from speakers throughout the day. Food waste is the “swiss army knife” of issues that “solves a lot of problems at once,” like diminishing landfill capacity, high food prices, and feeding the food insecure. At a time when divisions are heightened, food waste is an issue that can bring people together.

• Collaboration unlocks massive impact: Since its launch in 2024, 21 organizations have signed on to the U.S. Food Waste Pact, representing 50% market share for retailers and 25% market share for foodservice, as well as quick service restaurants like Chick-Fil-A and Starbucks. Whether it’s funders coming together to pool resources to support food waste innovation like the ReFED Catalytic Grant Fund or voluntary agreements like the Pact, creating a collaborative environment is a fast track to progress and collective impact.

• Sustainability is a business imperative, not a nice to have: Shara Orem from Datassetial identified that 58% of consumers say sustainability concerns impact day-to-day food choices, and when asked about what sustainable practices they employ, 54% of consumers try to reduce food waste as much as possible when eating at home or dining out. “Sustainability is no longer optional or expected, but necessary,” said PlanetFWD’s Julia Collins. For food waste specifically, saving money is a key motivating factor for consumers, representing the dual nature of reducing food waste as an economic and environmental issue.

• We’re in the middle of a dust storm, and the dust hasn’t settled yet: In discussing the realities surrounding our current political climate, Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University, stressed that so much remains in flux, but there are hopeful signs for food waste action at the local, state, and federal levels. In particular, she highlighted standardizing date labels as a conversation starter for bipartisanship more broadly and an issue that she sees the current administration getting behind. “What is it that we can do to create small wins that will be building blocks for something more difficult?” She told attendees that “you need to pivot with the times,” and that we “don’t ignore what’s happening in Washington.” She ended on a hopeful note, charging attendees to “keep on, keepin’ on” and “don’t let the Debbie Downers distract you from the day-to-day work.”

Keep an eye out for a full recap of the Summit in the coming weeks. And stay up to date on all ReFED updates by signing up for our mailing list.