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Food waste means wasted money.
FlexXray can help you save both.

Nearly 40% of the food grown in the United States ends up in landfills, where it rots and converts to methane, a harmful greenhouse gas linked to climate change. Even though America comprises just 4% of the global population, we contribute an astounding 30% of the planet’s total waste. Unfortunately, food companies are major contributors to that waste, generating about 53 pounds of food waste for every $1,000 in company revenue.

Recognizing the dire situation we’re now in, many food companies are stepping up and committing to drastically reducing food waste and loss. In doing so, they’re not only improving the health of the planet, but are improving their own financial health as well. FlexXray supports this mission and understands this won’t happen overnight or without focused, well-planned initiatives.

It will take a consolidated, committed effort to achieve this environmental gold standard. But we know it can be done — in fact, this year we will help our customers save 98% of food that would otherwise go to landfills.

The Problem of Food Waste and Why It Matters

The Problem of Food Waste and Why It Matters Food waste, as defined by the USDA’s Economic Research Service, is edible food that could be consumed but is not. The reasons for food waste could be anything from mold and pests to inadequate storage or climate control.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 150,000 tons of food is thrown away every day by consumers. More food ends up in American landfills than paper or plastic, and manufacturers spend about $220 billion every year growing food that ends up going to waste.

Not only does that mean that money spent growing, processing and packaging food is being wasted, but it also means that edible food isn’t reaching consumers who need it most. With an estimated 40 million Americans falling in the category of “food insecure” — which means they don’t have the financial resources to buy food consistently — new strategies for reducing food waste could help reduce the number of people who are going to bed hungry each night.

150,000 tons of food is thrown away every day by consumers.

In addition to improving economic and social problems connected to food waste, developing new solutions to keep food out of landfills is a win for the planet. As more food is sent to landfills, more harmful emissions are produced. Today, the amount of emissions created by food waste is almost equal to the emissions created by transportation. Committing to reducing food waste and keeping food out of landfills is a commitment to improve the environment for your customers.

That has proven benefits for the bottom line, too. The report “The Business Case for Reducing Food Loss and Waste” found that 99% of food companies around the world earned a positive return on investment (ROI) after implementing programs to reduce food waste. On average, for every $1 invested in food waste reduction, companies realized a $14 return.

How the U.S. Is Tackling the Challenge of Food Waste

In early 2019, the USDA, Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration rolled out an interagency strategy to reduce food waste. Working together on the new Winning on Reducing Food Waste initiative, these agencies are collaborating to provide food producers and suppliers with what they need to reduce food loss in all stages, from growing and manufacturing to transporting, selling and disposing of food. This follows the formation of the U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions by the USDA and EPA. Champions are businesses and organizations that are making a public commitment to reduce food waste in their U.S. operations by 50% by 2030. Already, nearly two dozen of the biggest names in food production have pledged to meet this goal!

How to Reduce Food Waste With FlexXray

FlexXray is changing the way companies manage contaminated food and, in doing so, is helping scale back the amount of food waste in America. Because we can pinpoint and eliminate the problem, we are able to keep non-contaminated parts of the production from being disposed of unnecessarily.

This not only saves food from being sent to rot in the landfill; it also keeps tons of plastic and paper packaging from landfills. We’ve worked with some of the top food and beverage producers in the country to save 98% of product that would otherwise be sent to a landfill.

We want to work with your company to reduce food waste throughout the U.S. Let us show you what we can do today to help you become landfill-free for the future.