A ground-breaking partnership to tackle commercial food waste in Australia is kicking some major goals by successfully selling high quality surplus food that might have otherwise gone to waste. 

Yume, the leading online marketplace for high quality surplus food, teamed up with waste and recycling leader SUEZ, to offer food manufacturers an option to get a financial return on surplus products.

Katy Barfield, Founder of Yume said that they were seeing powerful results using their technology to offer an innovative market for surplus food.

“Several multinational companies who are also SUEZ customers have now listed high quality surplus food on Yume and we are working with them to ensure those products find a new avenue to market and are consumed as intended. These companies join our network of over 500 food manufacturers, wholesalers and importers that list and sell quality stock through our online marketplace.

The partnership with SUEZ has resulted in the sale of 450,285 kilograms of surplus food which has returned almost $700,000 to these businesses and it is expected that this number is going to grow as the market adjusts to the coronavirus impact. 

These results add significantly to Yume’s growing impact. To date Yume has provided a new route to market for close to two million kgs of food returning over $6,000,000 to Australian businesses and farmers.

“One of the companies, Patties Foods, joined the war on waste and listed a surplus consignment of caramel slices. Yume identified a new avenue to market their caramel slices and sold the product to independent retailers and caterers all around Australia, getting them a great return.

“Importantly, our work together is having a positive impact on the planet. The partnership has saved water and carbon dioxide equivalent to saving the water of 519,560 showers and taking 195 cars off the road for a year and this is just the beginning,” Barfield added. 

Justin Frank, Chief Customer Officer at SUEZ Australia & New Zealand, said that the company is committed to working with customers to ensure as much waste as possible is recovered, recycled and treated. 

“The benefits of the partnership assist SUEZ’s customers in reducing waste and achieving greater sustainability. Our partnership with Yume aligns with SUEZ’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals – SDG 12 – by promoting responsible production and consumption” he said.

Barfield said that Yume is focused on delivering a commercial solution at the top of the food waste hierarchy: avoiding waste and reusing food wherever possible.

“This is an innovative partnership in the fight against commercial food waste, we are looking to prevent 4.1 million tonnes of surplus food from going to waste in Australia every year.

“In 2016-17, a massive 55 percent of food waste was associated with Primary Production, Manufacturing and Wholesale sectors. 

“This food, produced by Australian farmers and manufacturers, is wasted even before it reaches supermarkets, restaurants or homes,” she said.