#Food waste

Finite resources, demand for sustainable production and the need to recycle and re-use are driving the move to a circular economy with potential benefits for the planet, producers and consumers.
Here thought leaders already putting circularity into practice unpick what’s needed to take the discussion beyond waste management to value creation.

The price of fresh food and how the profits are shared along the supply chain from producer to check-out is under scrutiny, in both parliamentary and ACCC inquiries, in the media, and around the dinner table.
But how can fresh food producers pivot business models to get better outcomes? And what role does technology play in unlocking opportunities throughout the supply chain?

New Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven technology is optimising the supply chain for fresh and perishable products to deliver benefits to Australian growers and wholesalers. A new digital platform, developed by South Australian startup Optomni promises to reduce waste by up to 25 percent, maximising revenue and reducing the impact on the environment.

In this evokeAG x Humans of Agriculture collaboration podcast, with Oli Le Lievre, Oli speaks to Julia and Jordy Kaye, Co-Founders of greatwrap, a Victorian based startup creating a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastic wraps using potato waste to replace plastic cling wrap in kitchens and on industrial pallets.

Waste warrior and insect farming pioneer, Olympia Yarger of agritech startup, Goterra, has earned the 2023 ACT Australian of the Year award for her commitment to tackling climate change. In this Humans of Agriculture x evoke^AG. collab podcast, Oli Le Lievre unpacks Olympia’s diverse and entrepreneurial life experiences.

Specialising in nutrient extraction technology to convert food waste into useable ingredients, has paid off for Whole Green Foods. The Western Australian startup is now raising a $2 million bridging round, with processing expansion plans and heavyweight partnerships on the horizon, such as Simplot and Ferrero – set to catapult success.

AI-assessment platform, GoMicro is charging ahead with early detection technology to tackle global food waste. At the 400M Agrifood Innovation Forum in Toowomba, GoMicro CEO and Founder Dr Sivam Krish presented breakthrough results in assessing the ripeness or spoilage of fruits and vegetables with an 86-to-99% accuracy, measured in days.

After 10 years of working with commercial businesses, Coolsan Australia will roll out its innovative ChillSafe technology to domestic consumers in July 2022. The patented, simple-to-use sachet is designed to reduce bacteria, mould and viruses in cool storages and keep food fresher for longer, resulting in less food wastage.

Female-founded market delivery service, Your Food Collective, wants to be the most sustainable grocery offering in Australia – with technology geared to change the consumer foodscape and global ambitions backed by a successful Series A funding round.

Did you know $20 billion of food is wasted in Australia every year? Globally, that figure is closer to $1 trillion. But how can we improve supply-chain management if we don’t know what, or where the problems are?

A new realm of automation and robotic technologies is upon us, where food is fast-tracked from harvest to supermarket with precision and care. Here we take a look at what’s in store for the agrifood sector.