Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) is leading the fight against food waste after being announced as one of 18 successful grant recipients of the NSW Government’s Love Food Hate Waste initiative, which aims to deliver food waste educational programs across the state.
As part of the 12-month project, R&CA will survey its member businesses in NSW on their current food waste practices to establish a baseline of data before implementing initiatives to assist individual businesses with reducing their food waste footprint.
R&CA CEO Juliana Payne welcomed the new partnership with the NSW Environment Protection Authority, saying it will have a significant impact on the reduction of food waste across the café, restaurant and catering sector state-wide.
“As we know, food waste is an enormously important issue which has significant implications for all individuals, households and businesses,” she says.
“As the industry association representing the interests of cafés, restaurants and catering businesses, we are fully committed to helping address the issue of food waste through driving educational programs across our sector.”
Payne says the association is looking forward to working with local businesses as part of the program.
“For these hospitality operators, implementing food waste reduction initiatives not only ensures that their business is operating more sustainably but also delivers increased profits through minimising wastage,” she says.
“The pilot of the Love Food Hate Waste program has already generated a significant reduction in food waste for businesses who managed to cut down on their food waste by an average of 21 per cent.”
“We are looking forward to working with individual businesses and the NSW EPA to continue the success of this program,” Ms Payne said.
To participate in the program, contact the R&CA on 1300 722 878 or email restncat@restaurantcater.asn.au.