These Startups Are Helping Us Reduce Food Waste

Making the most of our produce and of our environment is so important, and a major way we are not doing this, is by wasting food. The Waste and Resources Action Programme even reports that 9.5 million tonnes of food goes to waste each year in the UK.

Also, a shocking 70% of food waste in the UK is from households as each household throws away about £470 worth of food each year. This accounts for 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and that’s just how harmful something that may seem minor, like throwing away food, can actually be.

What Is The UK Government Doing To Reduce Food Waste?

The UK government is taking measures to reduce food waste across different sectors, and the key one being taking action to support voluntary initiatives, like the Courtauld Commitment 2030, which brings together organisations across the food supply chain to work on reducing waste.

The goal with this programme is to reduce the amount of food wasted by 50% by 2023.

Other than programmes, for example, the UK government is also working on bringing more consistent waste collection services to the country, and making it so that by 2026, local authorities are providing separate food waste collection services. Of course, it goes without saying, the responsibility also lies in the hands of consumers and households, but the UK government and startups, are here to help.

What Are Startups Doing To Help Reduce Food Waste?

Startups are aware of the need for more sustainable solutions to address this, and so they operate in a way that combines tech and innovation to reduce how much food is wasted in the UK and EU. These 5 startups do the following:

1. Nory

Based in Dublin, Ireland, Nory AI has pioneered the first AI-powered operating system specifically designed for the hospitality industry. This platform consolidates key operational functions into a single, intelligent application, centralising essential tasks such as daily revenue tracking, employee scheduling, and supply chain management. By analysing data across these various functions, Nory offers actionable insights that help teams streamline operations, cut costs, and run venues more efficiently.

A core application of Nory’s AI capabilities is in reducing food waste. By optimising inventory management, restaurants can substantially decrease food waste, leading to significant environmental benefits. This not only lowers operational costs but also helps restaurants comply with increasingly stringent regulations on sustainability. As food waste regulations become more rigorous, Nory’s AI-driven solutions enable restaurants to stay ahead of these requirements while demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental responsibility.

Nory was founded by Conor Sheridan, a hospitality veteran who previously founded and scaled Mad Egg, Ireland’s fastest-growing independent restaurant group. Disappointed with existing software solutions, Sheridan created Nory to address the critical challenges faced by the hospitality industry. Today, Nory collaborates with prominent brands across the European and UK hospitality sectors, including Jamie Oliver and Viva Italia Group.

2. Clean Food Group

Clean Food Group is a UK-based food-tech start-up committed to revolutionising the food and cosmetics industries by delivering drop-in sustainable oils and fats solutions. The company leverages advanced technology to create alternative ingredients that are not only healthier but also more environmentally friendly, and actively contribute to reducing food waste.

This proprietary technology platform was developed after eight years of pioneering research led by Professor Chris Chuck, the technical lead at Clean Food Group, formerly of the University of Bath. The technology employs scalable yeast strains and innovative fermentation processes to transform waste food into sustainable alternatives to traditional oil and fat ingredients.

In December 2023, Clean Food Group partnered with UK bakery chain Roberts Bakery. This collaboration involved utilising Roberts Bakery’s waste bread as a feedstock for Clean Food Group’s fermentation technology, effectively turning waste into valuable resources to be reintroduced into the food cycle.

Founded in 2022 by CEO Alex Neves, Clean Food Group was established with a clear mission: to produce healthier, more sustainable alternatives to conventional food ingredients without compromising on taste or performance. The company’s work is not just about replacing traditional ingredients but also about setting new standards for sustainability in the global food industry.
 

3. Martee.ai

Founders, Harry Slagel and Lucy Adams, are using the power of AI to forecast fresh-food sell-through for retailers. Martee’s platform unlocks drastically improved demand forecasting accuracy for food businesses and addresses the sector-wide pain of forecasting consumer demand – which overpriced fresh products, restrictive ultra-processed options & empty ready-to-eat shelves are all symptoms of (in addition to the food waste we hear a lot about).

Their north star metric is availability on-shelf and they’re arming businesses with the tools they need to grow sales and customer satisfaction, without creating excessive food waste.

4. B!POD

B!POD’s new kitchen gadget, DRO!D, is a one-of-a-kind food vacuum that gives food long-lasting freshness, making food last up to x5 times longer than normal food storage to tackle food waste.

The food vacuum uses innovative technology to eliminate 95% of oxygen molecules to stop the food oxidation process in just 30 seconds. It is the highest performing food vacuum available to consumers in the UK.

Made out of recycled ocean plastic, DRO!D can store food that’s fresh, raw, dry and cooked, in solid and liquid form, whilst allowing the food to keep its nutritional properties, without affecting its smell, colour or texture.

5. Oddbox

Oddbox is a UK-based startup dedicated to reducing food waste by delivering fruit and vegetable boxes directly to people’s doors. They work closely with farmers to rescue produce that would otherwise be discarded due to being “too big,” “too small,” or simply surplus.

Oddbox has different box options, allowing customers to choose from different sizes and types, and can pick from fruit, vegetables, or both. These boxes are delivered overnight to minimise emissions, much like traditional milk deliveries.

The company’s mission is to fight food waste by giving a second chance to perfectly good produce that might not meet standard retail specifications. Oddbox educates its customers about the causes of food waste, such as weather affecting crop yield or market demands leaving excess produce behind. They also have creative recipes to help their community make the most of their weekly deliveries.