Save-On-Foods Cuts Food Waste, Helps Food Banks

Save-On-Foods is doing its part to reduce food waste in Canada.

The company says it has reached 100% food waste diversion at its Kelowna and area stores, by providing fresh but unsaleable food to food banks.

The grocery giant’s overall goal is to cut food waste by 50% at all 170 of its stores by 2025.

“We have now rolled out our food waste diversion program in nearly 100 of our 170 stores,” says Darrell Jones, President of Save-On-Foods. “We have been composting perishable waste where possible for a number of years, but we knew we could do better. This new goal furthers our commitment to ensuring all unsaleable food in our operation is put to the best and highest use. We look forward to expanding our initiative across all of our stores in Western Canada.”

In the first three months of the FoodMesh pilot, the company has provided perishable food for over 250,000 healthy meals to those in need and through its combination of partnerships, has supported a growing network of nearly 400 small family farms throughout BC, from Vancouver Island through the interior and into the north.

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Food waste is a critical issue in Canada, with almost 60% of food produced in the country wasted annually. It is estimated over half of the amount Canadians spend on food each year is wasted, or enough to feed every Canadian for five months.

In addition to its original full organic diversion programs in areas like Metro Vancouver, Save-On-Foods has partnered with Food Banks BC, Mesh Exchange (dba FoodMesh),
Loop Resources and a number of local charity partners in an effort to reach their ultimate goal of having zero surplus and potentially wasted food waste going to landfill.

Through a variety of unique partnerships all centered on food safety and appropriate diversion, this goal has now been accomplished in more than half of all Save-On-Foods
stores in just one short year, with more to come.

Across the country, over 1,500 family farms and thousands of food insecure residents are benefiting directly from this work.

“With close to 1.5 million metric tonnes valued at close to $6.4 billion dollars of surplus …more edible food wasted each year in BC and close to 100,000 individuals struggling to put food on the table, perishable food recovery with our partner, Save-On-Foods has been a true game-changer for food banks in BC,” says Laura Lansink, Executive Director, Food Banks BC. “Now, fresh, healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry and dairy are made available to every person at risk of hunger rather than ending up as waste.”