Strategy 4
Establish Food Waste Bites program for food service and retail sectors.
The goal of Food Waste Bites (FWB) is to eliminate food waste in the Kansas City region’s foodservice sector. FWB will help the industry implement comprehensive food waste rescue, diversion, and prevention practices. These practices will, in turn, enable foodservice businesses and organizations to save money and time, improve customer service, boost employee morale, reduce food insecurity in our community, and help the planet.
Strategy alignment
| Diversion impact | Significant | High | Important |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Benefit | Impactful | Inspiring | Hidden |
| Value | Enhanced | Retained | Jobs |
| Ease of implementation | Expandable | Removable barriers | Long-term effort |
Strategy details
Diversion Impact
Significant
Expands existing food recovery and diversion efforts in the region and implements sector-specific food waste prevention practices. Has the potential to reach all food service and retail sectors.
Community benefit
Impactful
Recovered food helps feed people who are food insecure, providing families in need with higher‑quality, nutritious options they may not otherwise access. Food that is diverted via animal feed benefits local livestock and animal rescue operations. Food that is diverted via composting benefits local food production and soil health. Preventing food waste also reduces pollution of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil where we grow our food.
Value
Retained
Feeding people is the highest and most beneficial use of food that would otherwise go to waste. Surplus food that is not suitable for human consumption can still provide value as livestock feed. Any remaining food waste can then be processed through composting, anaerobic digestion or biochar production, contributing to healthier soil, renewable energy generation and the creation of new building materials.
Ease of implementation
Expandable
Organizations already exist to recover and divert food that would otherwise go to waste. Expansion requires increasing their capacity and the number of businesses and organizations actively reducing food waste.
Getting started
- The SWMD will hire staff to implement the program.
- The Food Waste Advisory Committee (FWAC) supports the program.
- The program will work with existing partners, food trade associations, and health departments to increase participation in food waste reduction efforts in the region.
Stakeholders
- FWAC
- Food recovery and diversion organizations
- Food trade associations
- Health departments
- Foodservice sector