The banana. Curvy, thick on the outside and softly sweet on the inside and surprisingly floats in water.

With a staggering 5 million bananas consumed in Australian homes every day and a production value of 597 million, how are industry corporations addressing the issue of food waste?

In this episode, Dr Joanne Freeman chats with both Melissa Smith (End Food Waste Australia) and Dr Rosie Godwin (Australian Banana Growers’ Council) to hear about what the root causes and solutions towards less waste in the banana industry are. Listen in to hear all about:

• How people often mention that data without a purpose is meaningless, but when used to guide food waste reduction actions, it becomes incredibly valuable.

• It's not easy to produce bananas at the snap of your fingers. Designing solutions for oversupply is tricky when people are running a business and need to meet market needs.

• It can be challenging because, as we are aware, consumers tend to demand a perfectly ripe yellow banana without any imperfections. However, this mindset is not sustainable if we truly want to reduce food waste.

• There needs to be an effort to educate consumers on the importance of accepting slight imperfections in order to achieve our goal.

To find out more about the sector action plans mentioned in this interview please visit ⁠ https://endfoodwaste.com.au/sector-action-plans/#scroll6⁠. You can also find out about the Australian Food Service Advocacy Body at ⁠https://www.ausfab.org/.⁠

A big thank you to ABGC and End Food Waste Australia for their time and support in fighting against food waste.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, where their passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox specialise in getting you in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia who are leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To find out more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.

Do you think it’s possible to stand out in the food services sector by focusing on reducing food waste?

In this episode, Dr. Joanne Freeman is speaking with Tony Green, the CEO of Australian Food Service Advocacy Body (AFAB). Since April 2021, AFAB has been working towards one goal: to boost and support Australia's Foodservice sector. It unites senior leaders from all aspects of the industry to create a strong, unified voice for this vital supply chain. Listen in to hear all about:

Tony’s passion for food waste reduction is apparent through the interview. As a chef for many years, it is clear that he is keen to advocate for the food industry in order to get industries on board.

Tune in to uncover:

• The overlooked issue of waste: Why is monitoring and reducing the waste footprint not a priority for many businesses today?

• Cost-saving benefits: How can focusing on food waste reduction translate into financial savings for small business owners?

• Enhancing industry involvement: What steps can be taken to increase awareness, knowledge, and proactive measures in the sector?

To find out more about the catering action plan mentioned in this interview please visit https://endfoodwaste.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Catering_SAP_Report_FINAL.pdf. You can also find out about the Australian Food Service Advocacy Body at https://www.ausfab.org/.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, where their passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox specialise in getting you in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia who are leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To find out more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future please visit www.endfoodwaste.com.au.

Picture this: the bread and bakery waste in Australia adds up to an astonishing 456 million loaves annually. Dr. Joanne Freeman sits down with Carolyn Cameron from End Food Waste Australia, where she’s spearheading initiatives as the Sector Action Plan Program Lead. Her role is pivotal in bringing together the key players in the supply chain to tackle food waste head-on. Today, we unpack the collaborative efforts that have culminated in the Bread and Bakery Sector Action Plan.

Listen in as Joanne and Carolyn discuss:

• Collaboration and conversations to make the changes needed to reduce food waste.

• What's causing the waste? What can we do about it? And where's the best place to start making changes?

• The confronting statistic that 19% of all Australia’s food waste happens in food service and institutions.

• Solutions for the bakery industry, such as improved stock inventories and systems, measuring waste, and incentives such as the Don’t Waste Your Dough report which highlights the importance of progressive improvements. You can read more here https://endfoodwaste.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Dont-waste-your-dough.pdf

• The importance of establishing dialogue across industries and looking for opportunities to implement and increase productivity and profit for small businesses.

If you are wanting to find out more information about the Sector Plans and how they could help your business to www.endfoodwaste.com.au where you will find the six current action plans which include bread and bakery, dairy, food cold chain, food rescue, food service and horticulture.

And if you want to get in touch with Carolyn or one of the sector action plan team members just send an email to enquiries@endfoodwaste.com.au.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, where their passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox specialise in getting you in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia who are leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To find out more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future please visit www.endfoodwaste.com.au.

The impact of food waste extends beyond simply disposing of unwanted food. It has a significant cost to businesses of all sizes. In this week's episode of 'Food Waste Matters', Jayne Gallagher sits down with Dr Steve Lapidge, CEO of End Food Waste Australia, for an update about what is happening in the End Food Waste world. In this episode, you can hear about:

• The ambitious goal to halve Australia's food waste by 2030.

• Upcoming sector action plans.

• How you can attend the National Food Waste Summit with benefits such as increased knowledge, networking, and tools to measure food waste.

• The Australian Food Waste Challenge that has been created alongside Rocket Seeder. Find out more details at https://www.rocketseeder.com/foodwaste.

• Tools for measuring waste, such as the Direct Tool alongside Empauer.

There are several practical strategies that businesses of all sizes can implement. This goes beyond simply cleaning up the waste bin; it involves taking crucial steps towards building a more sustainable and profitable future for all. If you are looking to get involved, please visit www.endfoodwaste.com.au and fill out the contact form as directed in this podcast.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, where their passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox specialise in getting you in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Find out more at ⁠www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia who are leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To find out more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au.⁠

What happens when food is left to drop and rot? Dr. Joanne Freeman interviews Kelly Johnson, owner of Woodlane Orchard for the Food Waste Matters Podcast. Kelly's business revolves around purchasing surplus produce from local farmers and transforming it into dehydrated products like soups, meals, snacks, and garnishes. Tune in as the pair chat about:

• The establishment of Woodlane Orchard and how it was born out of necessity for employment and the realisation of surplus produce going to waste.

• How Kelly sources her produce directly from farmers, focusing on obtaining "ugly" and second-hand produce that would otherwise be discarded.

• The reality is that much of the excess fruit that doesn't meet supermarket standards is allowed to rot as farmers can't afford the labour costs associated with harvesting them.

• Why Woodlane Orchard creates family-sized meals as well as smaller, lightweight meals for hikers and caravaners under the Sphiker brand.

• Kelly’s progress in finding a clear, home compostable packaging solution, aiming to make her business 100% sustainable in the future.

• The reason for advocacy towards a local circular economy system where one central hub coordinates the distribution of surplus food among businesses and local industries.

Kelly's character growth is evident throughout the interview. She starts off needing employment and noticing surplus produce. It then evolves into creating a successful business around combating food waste and advocating for changes in how surplus food is distributed in regional areas.

To find out more about Woodlane Orchard and learn more about Kelly’s business please visit https://www.woodlaneorchard.com.au/.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, where their passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox specialise in getting you in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia who are leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To find out more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future please visit www.endfoodwaste.com.au.

Food waste is a pressing issue in our society, yet it often goes unnoticed. End Food Waste Australia are a cooperative research organisation with a vision to see Australia without food waste, starting with the ambitious aim to halve wood waste by 2030.

In this episode Dr. Joanne Freeman chats with the Program Leaders from End Food Waste Australia who are committed to achieving this aim through different areas of focus. Professor David Pearson, Francesca Goodman-Smith, and Associate Professor Simon Lockrey provide updates about current and projected focus for 2024. In this episode you can hear about:

• Focus for the Engage team, including what we do at home and when we go out to eat.

• How individual assessments of food waste are often naively underestimated and the challenge for household waste.

• Three behaviours which assist can food waste including cooking preparation, intentional shopping, and using leftovers.

• Updates from the Transform team, including commercial feasibility of projects, investments, and startups.

• Upcycling and creating new products from food waste.

• Upgrades from the Reduce team, plus collaborations with stakeholders and researchers.

• Supply chain interventions and interactions from the horticultural sector.

The Food Waste Matters podcast aims to shed light on this problem and spark serious conversations with industry leaders, businesses, and researchers who are actively combating food waste. If you or your organisation has an interest in helping consumers reduce food waste, please reach out to End Food Waste Australia on their website www.endfoodwate.com.au.

To find out more about what is happening at End Food Waste Australia go to: www.endfoodwaste.com.au. Or if you want to reach out to one of the Program Leaders at End Food Waste Australia, just sent an email to enquiries@endfoodwaste.com.au

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, where their passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox specialise in getting you in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia who are leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To find out more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future please visit www.endfoodwaste.com.au.

Join us for the debut episode of 2024 for the Food Waste Matters Podcast. Jayne Gallagher and Dr Joanne Freeman from Honey & Fox are back to host the first episode, where they will fill you in on their key takeaways from the previous season and give you a sneak peek into what's to come in 2024. Join them as they revisit some of their most memorable conversations, including:

• How to tackle the issue of food waste in public areas by implementing the strategies discussed in the November 2023 episode featuring Ellen Burns from The Hidden Orchard. www.fightfoodwastehub.com.au/presentations/industry-spotlight-the-hidden-orchard/.

• Significant shifts in our thinking around what food looks like as touched on by Richard Tourino and Jonathan Englert from Good and Fugly. www.fightfoodwastehub.com.au/presentations/hear-from-industry/.

• Turning dehydrated food into meals for families from an original need as a single parent in an African community from Linda Manyeza at Food Masters South Africa. www.fightfoodwastehub.com.au/presentations/industry-spotlight-leaf-protein-co-2/

• Educating industry about sustainable approaches to seafood, with new and interesting product varieties using underutilised and undervalued food products with Uma Nguyen (also know as Fish Girl) www.fightfoodwastehub.com.au/presentations/industry-spotlight-the-fish-girl-umar-nguyen/

As Honey & Fox sat down to plan their second season, they brainstormed ways to make a bigger impact in the fight against food waste. As a result, episodes will now be released every two weeks, featuring special guests with unique perspectives on the issue.

To stay updated on all the episodes and learn more, we encourage listeners to sign up for the mailing list at www.foodwastematters.com.au.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, where their passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox specialise in getting you in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia who are leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To find out more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future please visit www.endfoodwaste.com.au.