Second Harvest and Value Chain Management International to Release Five-Year Update to "The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste" Research Report

TORONTO, - Second Harvest, Canada's largest food rescue organization, has commissioned Value Chain Management International (VCMI), a leading public and industry voice in the area of food waste, to co-author and provide a five-year update to the groundbreaking research report, The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste.

Originally published in 2019, The Avoidable Crisis of Food Waste revealed that 58% of the food produced in Canada was wasted each year, with 32% of this waste being avoidable. An updated report, scheduled for release later this year, will offer new insights and track the progress of efforts to reduce food waste nationwide. This update will also emphasize the impact of best before dates and climate change on food waste throughout Canada's entire supply chain.

The original report was the very first to quantify food loss and waste within the Canadian food supply chain. It underscored the financial, environmental, and social costs associated with food waste, amounting to a staggering $49.46 billion annually.

"The 2019 report was a wake-up call for all stakeholders in the food industry, emphasizing the urgent need for action to mitigate food waste," said Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest. "Building on this foundation, our updated research will delve deeper into the progress made, challenges remaining, and new strategies emerging to address this critical issue."

The updated report, commissioned with the financial support of Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw), will draw on comprehensive data from across the food supply chain, providing insights into current trends, root causes of food waste and effective solutions that have been implemented since the original publication. The report will also serve as a roadmap for industry leaders, policymakers, and community organizations to further reduce food waste and redirect surplus food to those in need.

"We are proud to collaborate with Second Harvest on this vital initiative," stated Dr. Martin Gooch, CEO of Value Chain Management International. "Our ongoing partnership aims to refine strategies for minimizing food waste, ultimately creating a more sustainable and equitable food system."

"Loblaw is very happy to support this important work. As one of the original supporters of Second Harvest with a commitment to send zero food waste to landfill by 2030 we understand how critical this data is to companies, governments and community partners," Jonathan Carroll, Chair, Loblaw Food Waste Steering Committee said.

The release of the updated report is anticipated to catalyze further action among food industry stakeholders, reinforcing the commitment to reducing food waste and supporting food rescue efforts nationwide.