Fifteen companies, ranging from food processors to grocery and fast food chains, make up the inaugural class of “food loss and waste champions,” said the EPA and USDA. The companies won the designation by agreeing to reduce food waste 50 percent by 2030, in line with an administration goal to conserve resources and to combat climate change.
An estimated 133 billion pounds of food worth nearly $162 billion — 31 percent of the food supply — goes uneaten at the retail and consumer level, estimates the USDA. The companies that joined the administration initiative will gauge food waste at present and report on their progress.
The 15 companies include some of the largest foodmakers and retailers. They are Ahold USA, Blue Apron, Bon Appétit Management Company, Campbell Soup Company, Conagra Brands, Delhaize America, General Mills, Kellogg Company, PepsiCo, Sodexo, Unilever, Walmart, Wegman’s Food Markets, Weis Markets and YUM! Brands.