Reducing food waste and loss

Nestlé supports the Champions 12.3 coalition and its plans to halve global food loss and waste by 2030

Around one-third of food produced globally is either lost or wasted. Given the global resources that are devoted to food production and distribution – in land, water, fertilizer and fuel costs, as well as in greenhouse gases produced – this inefficiency has profound implications for the environment and the ability of the food sector to operate sustainably.

Taking innovative but practical steps to reduce food waste

Food loss and waste can occur at any point between where it is produced and where it is consumed. To help prevent that, we have implemented a number of practical, technological and educational initiatives that are designed to help reduce food loss and waste by 50% in the short term.

We are committed to working alongside farmers, agricultural scientists, researchers and non-profit organizations internationally to reduce food loss and waste. And we are helping people understand how they can prevent food waste at home. 

Extending shelf-life; empowering farmers

Nestlé is helping farmers in Kenya access food preservation systems that allow them to turn surplus fruit and vegetables that would otherwise spoil into less perishable products. By partnering farmers with food processing firms in this way, we are helping improve their livelihoods by creating additional income streams throughout the year.

Revolutionizing crop yields

Nestlé’s agricultural scientists recommended the introduction of drying technologies to help maize farmers in Nigeria reduce waste. Maize farming is plagued by pests and crop molds, so the use of dome-shaped solar dryers – which can be easily and cost-effectively built using local materials – means they avoid loss. Drying maize also minimizes the presence of harmful toxins, which can dramatically impact health if consumed in large quantities.

Clearer labelling: Less wastage

Nestlé France has collaborated with Too Good to Go’s Consumption Dates Pact to help remove consumer confusion around consumption dates and prevent food from being needlessly discarded. Poor understanding of sell-by, use-by, or best-by dates is thought to be responsible for 10% of all food waste in Europe. 

Creating energy from waste

An innovative collaboration in East London, South Africa between Nestlé and a piggery illustrates a clever use for waste from the chocolate-making process. Waste products from cocoa processing are combined with organic waste from the pigs in an anaerobic digester to create electricity as well as wastewater that can be used for irrigation. 

Inspiring people to reduce food waste

We took significant steps in eliminating food waste by making delicious products from ingredients typically discarded as unsellable – purely on aesthetic grounds. Our Maggi  'Krumm Glücklich Suppe' range – meaning crooked happy soup – is made with these so-called 'ugly' vegetables that nonetheless taste delicious. With up to one third of food produced thought to be wasted, we are keen to help people better identify when nutritious food is still safe to be consumed.