Long before she became ReFED’s Executive Director, Sara Burnett was honing her passion for food. “I’ve been working in foodservice for over thirty years since I stocked shelves at the grocery store my mom managed and helped my dad, who was a restaurant operator.” A few more jobs in foodservice over the next three decades—most notably Vice President of Food Beliefs, Sustainability, and Public Relations at Panera Bread—led her to a crossroads at the end of 2022. “I wanted to judge my success by the positive impact I can have for people, planet, and my community,” she says about this period of reflection. With a new mindset, she started her own consulting business to help food businesses build strong sustainability strategies and reflect that in their brand communications. It was through this work that she began her first project with ReFED.

In 2023, 38% of the food produced in the United States went unsold or uneaten—and the impacts are far-reaching. Wasted food contributes to the overall carbon footprint in the United States, with 14% of methane emissions coming from wasted food. Additionally, the value of wasted food is equivalent to nearly 2% of the U.S. GDP, and its toll on resources like water and land is substantial. These impacts, or “polycrisis” as Sara puts it, are exactly what draws her to the work she does at ReFED.

“ReFED’s team is composed of leading data scientists, finance experts, innovation drivers, and business advisors,” Sara explains. “My role is to unlock the potential of these leaders further and through that, increase ReFED’s impact.” As ReFED’s Executive Director, Sara is focused on creating an environment to accomplish these goals. From leading strategic planning to engaging stakeholders across the food system to supporting the team with expertise and coaching, Sara’s plate is full, so to speak.

She’s already gotten to work on a research project in collaboration with Georgetown and the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative. Project CUSTOMISE is focused on reducing food waste in restaurants, asking the question, “What is the impact of offering portion size options in restaurants on food waste reduction, menu management, operational systems, profit margins, and consumer satisfaction and behavior?” The one-year study will pilot food waste interventions in multiple restaurant concepts, resulting in an open-source case study that inspires broader adoption of healthy, sustainable portion options.

Key to this project is successful precompetitive collaboration, which is at the core of what excites Sara about ReFED’s future. The U.S. Food Waste Pact, a collaboration between ReFED and World Wildlife Fund, is one initiative Sara is focused on for the future of food waste reduction. “The signatories are making real progress within their companies and through data sharing and case studies,” Sara says of some of the Pact’s programmatic pillars. “They’re helping make the case for and informing substantive change across the industry.” Building on the success of the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment, the Pact is scaling food waste solutions nationally, increasing impact by addressing food waste’s harmful effects on “climate, water, food insecurity, and economic pressures on consumers and businesses,” Sara explains.

As 2030 approaches, Sara’s sights are set on two things: “will and skill,” as she puts it. “In terms of food waste, we have the skill—the insights, evidence, and solutions to reduce food waste by 2030. But we need to increase the will.” This is something that Sara is facing head-on when engaging with funders, food businesses, and policymakers. “Precompetitive collaborations, well-informed policy decisions, innovative private and public funding mechanisms, and continuing research to validate this work are part of the continuing focus for ReFED,” Sara says. And because these are huge endeavors, Sara is grateful that she is working in tandem with ReFED’s President Dana Gunders. “With her vision and expertise, I’m proud that Dana is my partner in this,” Sara emphasizes, adding that her own work builds on the foundation that Dana has laid in her years leading ReFED.

In dealing with a problem as large as food waste, Sara maintains that, “everyone has a place in the tent.” “We all have a reason to contribute personally and professionally,” she says. Professionally, Sara’s background in foodservice, one that began thirty years ago, gives her a “whole chain view of food that allows me to think through seen and unseen barriers in reducing waste.” But the personal investment in reducing food waste is just as important. “I’m the designated leftover eater in our home and often sneak crazy leftovers into our next meal,” she admits. “My family still makes fun of me for the time I put chopped-up leftover green beans in our huevos rancheros.”