New research centre to fight food waste

A new $133 million 10 year research centre will target food waste to improve the future sustainability and profitability of the Australian food industry.

Food waste is a global issue with losses valued at $1.3 trillion per annum. Food waste costs Australia $20 billion each and every year and is directly affecting Australia’s reputation as a clean, green food producer.

The Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), announced today as a successful Round 19 CRC bid, will be a game-changer in tackling the growing international problem of food waste.

The CRC will take a triple-bottom line approach to reduce and transform food waste to improve industry profitability, tackle food insecurity and enhance Australia’s reputation as a sustainable producer of premium food products.

The Fight Food Waste CRC will:

– REDUCE food waste throughout the value chain

– TRANSFORM unavoidable waste into innovative high-value products

– ENGAGE with industry and consumers to deliver behavioural change.

The CRC involves 57 participants from around Australia and overseas who collectively raised $103 million that will be matched with $30 million from the CRC Programme.

Central Coast Industry Connect Ltd has a strong commitment to reducing food waste in its region of the NSW Central Coast. Its activity with its food cluster has a strong component of food waste management.

CCIC will work with the CRC to undertake research that will provide opportunities for reduction and re purposing food waste where it can be turned into higher value products. This will include out of spec finished product, short coded stock and product and packaging waste. We support opportunities for agricultural by products to be turned into hi nutritional additives and supplements.

We will invest to  participate in projects, networking and to  disseminate learnings from the CRC.