Massachusetts-based Foodservice Manufacturer and IFMA Member Recognized for Waste Reduction Efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency hosted its Food Recovery Challenge, where participants, from grocers to educational institutions, made the effort to reduce wasted food by donating or composting food. As a whole, there were over 950 participants nationally and more than 740,000 tons of food were diverted from going to landfills. Signature Breads was one such participant and was recognized by the EPA in the data-driven category for having the highest percent increases in food waste diversion for the foodservice manufacturing sector, in a comparison of yearly data.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, wasted food is the single largest type of waste discarded each year in everyday trash, or roughly 73 billion pounds. The reduction of food loss and waste is a strategic initiative of the EPA, with a specific goal of reducing by 50 percent by the year 2030. This goal resulted in the creation of the Food Recovery Challenge. Solutions by participating businesses and organizations may include reducing excess food from institutional cafeterias, using food scraps for animal feed, or providing in-house food recovery training. In 2016, the program donated nearly 222,000 tons of excess food – or nearly 370 million meals – to those in need.
Director of Quality and R&D Tim Konicek says with admiration, “Signature Breads is proud to be recognized for our continuous efforts in waste reduction. Our team is committed to protecting the environment, and we are honored to know our hard work is not going unnoticed. Working with the Environmental Protection Agency has provided us with an easy way to track our progress and set yearly goals.” Konicek goes on to highlight the work of his EPA contact, Janet Bowen, for helping Signature Breads stay current on waste handling and recycling practices, while also noting the importance of working with the right partners, like Baskin Livestock, to manage waste effectively.