These days, food waste re-users like the ones featured here aren't your typical "reduce, reuse, recycle" initiatives. Instead, they get creative by coming up with products that tackle waste management and social problems.
"Waste not, want not" is how the ever popular idiom goes. And it's an idiom that's been appropriated by the Western environmental movement to no avail. But there are some necessary learnings from a simple saying. Food waste in North America and Europe is near insurmountable.
Some of the food waste re-users in this Social Business top list are more easily marketable than others. For instance, Batlow Premium Cider is a product created by an Australian co-op that uses apple waste from its farm in order to create an alcoholic beverage.
11 Food Waste Re-Users
11
Well-Wasted Cuisine
FoodCycle Uses Surplus to Feed Local Communities
10
Ugly Food Catering
Culinary Misfits Use Disheveled Fruits and Veggies to Cater Events
9
Delicious Munificent Munchies
Rubies in the Rubble Empower Women and Tackle Food Waste with Jams
8
Coffee Ground Mushrooms
'Back to the Roots' Turns Waste into Gourmet Ingredients
7
Waste-Powered Gardening
EcoScraps Turns Old Food into High Quality Soil Conditioner
6
Hunger-Eliminating Social Media
FlashFood Turns Restaurant Leftovers into Meals for the Hungry
5
Waste-Reducing Apps
'Zero Gachis' Lets Shoppers Know When Fresh Food is About to Expire
4
Wasted Apple Beverages
Batlow Premium Cider Stems from the Australian Co-Operative
3
Earth-Friendly Tequila Production
Casa Herradura of Mexico Remains Dedicated to Sustainability
2
Fresh Perspective Posts
The Social Business Visit to the FoodCycle Cambridge Hub
1
Misshapen Produce Meals
The Feeding the 5,000 Initiative Sheds Light on Wasted Food
Related Ideas
Biodegradable Womenswear Blazers
Lotta Ludwigson's ALVA Blazer Applies Cradle-to-Cradle Design
AI-Powered Waste Trackers
The Binit Household Waste Tracker Streamlines Recycling
Stress-Reducing Garbage Initiatives
The Hefty Brand Launches its 'Trash Time Out' Campaign
Creative Laundry Solutions
'Uncommon' and 'Ecover' Release 'Rewear Chair' to Reduce Overwashing
Intelligent Anti-Food Waste Systems
The 'FoodTusker' Reminds Users to Eat Leftovers
Exclusive Brand Ambassador Programs
Better for All Seeks to Promote More Eco-Friendly Practices
Seafood Waste Bioplastics
Natnov Bioscience Has Turned Seafood Waste into New Bio-Economy Products
Home-Compostable Coffee Cups
Starbucks is Rolling Out a New Hot Cup & Lid in Select Markets
Algae-Made Slippers
These Vegan Slippers by Giestas Have a Food-Grade Form
Global Social Impact Initiatives
Reckitt Expands Its Catalyst Program in the US
Edible Wrapper Snack Bars
One Good Thing Bars Have a No-Waste Formulation
AI-Enabled Recycling Bins
SmartSort Bins Appropriately Dispose of Out-of-Home Waste
Plastic Bottle Recycling Tools
The 'BottleLoom' Bottle Strip Cutter Transforms Plastic Waste
AI-Powered Food Waste Solutions
wAIste Uses AI to Combat Food Waste in Several Ways
Urban Bottle Sustainable Initiatives
Heineken Presents Fields Green With Grass, Not Glass
Eco Reusable Bottles
Anew Drops a Plant‑based Reusable Bottle to Set a Standard for Sustainability
Compact Electric Composters
Minix Efficiently Tackles Household Food Waste
Eco-Friendly Restaurant Cups
Sulapac Partnered with Burger King in Finland for Biobased Cups
Eco-Friendly Root Vegetable Packaging
This HUID Compostable Packaging Concept is Made with Onions
Functional Effervescent Mushroom Drinks
These Water Junkie Drinks Come in Three Varieties
Creative Economy Meal Replacements
Sneak EATS Launched a Nutrition Product Built for Creatives
Retail Overconsumption Campaigns
Coachtopia's 'The Wasted Parts' Explores Overconsumption Culture
AI-Powered Recycling Systems
The Conceptual 'Binko' Recycling Machine Automates Sorting
Flavored Cashew Snacks
Octonuts Partnered with rePurpose Global to Combat Ocean Waste
Eco-Conscious Hair Removal Franchises
Foxy Box Laser & Wax Bar Has Become Green Circle Certified
Rotating Food Storage Systems
The Saveit Rotating Kitchen Cubes Reduce Food Waste
AI Food Waste Reducers
The 'Orbisk' AI Solution Monitors Kitchen Waste to Optimize Recipes
Food Transparency Apps
WISEcode Positions Its App as a Powerful Tool in the Food Industry
Upgraded AI-Powered Grocer Platforms
Retail Insight Significantly Enhances Its WasteInsight Tool
Plastic Reduction Concierges
The SodaStream Sustainability Concierge Helps to Cut Waste
Recyclable Apple Packaging Initiatives
Superfresh Growers Introduces a New Sustainable Packaging
Paper-Packaged Private Label Wines
The Collective Good Wine Range is Available Now at Target
In-Office Food Recycling Systems
Mill for Workplace Helps Companies Manage Food Waste at Scale
Cigarette Waste Hats
Olivia Gino Turned an Abundant Source of Litter into a Shearling-Style Hat
Business Idea Generators
Crazy Business Idea Generator Lets Users Vote and Share Ideas Socially
Everyday Sustainable Bags
Out of the Woods Offers Versatile Bags for Essentials
Sustainable Packaging Options
Vetroplas Partners Highlight Refillable, Recycled And Airless Soluti
E-Commerce Recycling Programs
GUESS Launched GUESS Again in Partnership with SuperCircle
Convenience-Focused Upcycled Tote Designs
Out of the Woods Enhances Its Out of the Ocean® Range
Refreshed Food Packaging Designs
North Coast Organic Marks a Major Update to Its Century-Old Brand
Electric Food Recyclers
The FoodCycler Eco 3 Turns Food Scraps into an Odor-Free By-Product
Waste-Minimizing Household Cleaners
The Grove Co. Spring Collection Has a Special Launch Partner
Ethical Coffee Partnerships
Win Win Coffee Collaborates with Aramark for Community Impact
Refillable Product Pilots
Ocado Retail Debuts a Reusable Packaging Pilot with the Refill Coalition
Compostable Fiber Tablewares
The Better Earth Farmer’s Fiber Retail Collection is BPI-Certified
Sustainable Food Waste Cosmetics
Clean Food Group's New CleaOoil Products are Eco-Friendly
Collaborative Recycling Initiatives
National Mall Introduces a Comprehensive Recycling Program
Reusable Packaging Grocery Stores
Nude Foods Market Packs Foods in Returnable Glass Jars
Textile Recycling Devices
The ByBye Converts Discarded Clothing into Rigid Flower Pots
Home-Compostable Cutlery
This LifeMade Cutlery Offers a Sustainable Alternative to Plastic
Rebranded Food Delivery Apps
Skip Revamps Its Brand Identity to 'Skip to the Good Part'
Eco-Friendly Refill Stores
Desert Refillery Provides Shoppers with Sustainable Personal Products
Rewarding Recycling Initiatives
Patagonia's Worn Wear Recycling Program Helps Eliminate Waste
Sustainable Retailer Packaging Updates
This Co-op Sustainable Packaging Initiative is Expansive
Reusable Packaging Supermarket Trials
Amcor and Ocado are Working Together for a Packaging Project
Pioneering Plant-Based Supermarkets
REWE's Venture is Considered a Bold Innovation in the Industry
Food-Based Body Bars
The Hygiene Bank & Goodwash Created The Edible Soap to Expose Hygiene Poverty
Coffee Kindess Initiatives
Cambio Roasters Launches Random Act of Kindness Week Campaign
Repurposed Fruit Juices
Daily Dose is Unveiling a New Apple Juice Made from Excess Fruit
Sparkling Sour Candy Refreshments
Candy Can and Toxic Waste® Partnered for Two New Drinks
Reusable Takeaway Packaging Pilots
VTT Launches Reuse Pilot for Ready Meal Packaging
Chopstick-Crafted Homeware
RENEW by TRINITY Makes Artisan Designs from Reclaimed Bamboo Chopsticks
AI Food Waste Systems
Zest’s AI Platform Helps Nestlé Track and Redistribute Food in Real Time
Campus Food Insecurity Initiatives
Chartwells Higher Education Debuts 'United Through Food'
Discarded Shoe-Created Stools
The WU Series by BENTU Design is a Sustainable Alternative
Delivery-Based Food Rescue Initiatives
Albertsons Companies and Uber Partner on Food Rescue
Organic Material Recovery Systems
Machinex Unveils a New Waste Management System in Quebec City
Anti-Water Waste Cleaning Campaigns
The Ecover 'Waste No Space' Campaign Encourages Conservation
Eco-Friendly Bread Packaging
Modern Milkman Debuted Compostable Bread Bags
Sustainable Compostable Coffee Cups
Starbucks Introduces Its New Better Cup for All Design
Waste-Transformed Biomaterials
Laura Bordini's By Osmosis Project Explores Product Waste
Shopping Basket Voting Systems
WWF Japan Engages Shoppers on Sustainability in a Novel Way
Recyclable Bottle Containers
The 'Recyklobox' Allows For Sustainable In‑Store Returns
Circular Logistics Systems
Tosca and Cabka introduce reusable pallets for supply chains
Eco-Friendly Pop-Up Restaurants
The Green Vic is End-to-End Sustainable in London
Circular Packaging Services
Returnity's 'In Rotation' AIms to Reduce Packaging Waste
Coffee Pod Recycling Programs
Podback & FCC Environmental Debuts Coffee Pod Recycling Stations
Ecosystem Restoration Platforms
Green Wedge Helps You Reduce Carbon Footprint Through Restoration
E-Waste Take-Back Boxes
Trashie's Tech Take Back Box Responsibly Recycles Electronic Devices
AI-Powered Food Waste Apps
Leanpath Empowers Culinary Professionals with Real-Time Insights
Waste Diversion Grocer Initiatives
Giant Food and Divert Partnered to Combat Food Waste
Textile-to-Textile Recycled Sneakers
Allbirds Remix is the First Polycotton Recycled Sneaker
Charitable Food Security Campaigns
Riunite Joins Forces with Meals on Wheels America
Activity Gear Billboards
Ocean Spray's Reclaim Happy Hour Activation Got Australians Up & Moving
In-Store Recycling Returns
Asda Launches a Podback Coffee-Pod Return Service
Reusable Hospital Cup System
Borealis and FSG Launch Reusable Polypropylene Cups
In-Store DIY Packaging Stations
Taco Bell UK is Uniquely Supporting Circular Fashion Sellers
Reduced Plastic Foodservice Partnerships
Prowrap and Tortilla Partnered to Reduce Plastic Waste
Waste-Minimizing Food Apps
"Oh, a Potato" Suggests Meal Ideas Based on Inventory
Prairie Fibre Bioplastics
Saskatchewan Polytechnic & EnviroWay Turned Flax into Plastic
Upcycled Fruit Chews
Climate Candy Turns Unharvested Imperfect Produce into Sweet Treats
Bio-Based Single-Use Cups
The VeriGreen Plus Was Created by eGreen and Polymateria
Urbanite Worm Compost Systems
The 'Revermi' Vermicomposter by Sam Kauranen is Easy to Use
Eco-Conscious Canned Water
Wenlock Spring's Revamped Cans Appeal to Gen Z
Intuitive Countertop Composters
The Vego Kitchen Composter Enhances Home Gardening
Biotransformable Cup Designs
The Verigreen Plus Biotransformable Cup for Single Use Packaging
Adaptive Workspace Designs
Twobo’s SALT HQ Highlights Material Reuse in a Community-Ready Office
Reusable Cup Programs
Starbucks is Participating in a City-Wide Collaborative Reuse Project
Meal Planning Tools
WhatsCook: Meal Planner & AI Recipes Reduces Food Waste with Tech
Sleek E-Waste-Reducing Computers
Wipro Infotech Unveils a New Line of Eco-Friendly Computers
Simplified Food Waste Reducers
'KITRO' is a University-Created Tool for Optimizing Food Usage
Fungi-Powered Diapers
HIRO's MycoDigestible Diaper Comes with Plastic-Eating Fungi
Leftover Bread-Based Beers
Aldi is Launching Food Waste Beers Under the Hop Foundry Brand
Waste-Reducing Cold Cups
CLUBZERØ Provides Perfect Pots to Wimbledon Championship Attendees
Meal-Donating Snack Bars
Act Bars Provide One Meal for Every One Sold
Household Recycling Pickup Services
The Modern Milkman Collections Service is for Toys and E-Waste
Food Waste Reduction Tools
ExpireMate Helps People Manage a Food Product's Freshness
Plastic-Free Takeaway Boxes
Just Eat Takeaway.com Launches the Huhtamaki Xampla Boxes
Miniature Household Cleaners
The 5% Collection by Grove Co. Shares an Important Recycling Reminder
Business-Friendly Efficient Composting Technologies
Emerald Ecovations Partners with Octoen
Complimentary Reusable Cups
A&W Canada Celebrates World Environment Day with a Promotion
Sustainable Zero Waste Initiatives
LILYSILK is Unveiling a Series of New Zero Waste Initiatives
Student-Designed Reusable Bags
These Metcalfe’s Market Reusable Shopping Bags Celebrate the Earth
Eco-Friendly Coffee Tumblers
Reborn Coffee Inc. Launched Its Latest Product — the Reborn Tumbler
Customizable Packaging Solutions
Wax Paper Global Has Introduced an Innovative Packaging Solution
Adorable Public Rubbish Bins
SWNA Created a Set of Rubbish Bins for Design Seoul 2.0
Charitable Food Initiatives
Wild Turkey x Andrew Babish Launch a Charitable Friendsgiving Campaign
Service-Backed Recommerce Platforms
Commonplace Launches Marketplace With Built-In Delivery
Plastic-Free Sushi Trays
BioPak's Latest Innovation is Eco-Friendly Sushi Trays
Cohesive Waste Management Systems
Caraway Home Debuts the Trash & Recycling Collection
Crop-Residue Mailer Materials
Amazon And IIT Roorkee Launched a Compostable Mailer
Sustainable Alcohol-Free Blueberry Wines
OzHarvest and Kakadu Kitchen Debut a Discarded Fruit Wine
Pet Gear Recycling Schemes
Pet Supplies Plus & Wag N' Wash Achieve a Recycled Packaging Milestone
Reusable Cardboard Buckets
Royal Flora Holland Launches a Reusable Bucket for Logistics
Sustainably Packaged Cleaning Products
Windex Offers a Multi-Surface Cleaner with Vinegar
Retail Recycling Reward Programs
Boots Offers Advantage Card Points for Recycling Drop-Offs
Recyclable Cover Papers
Saputo Dairy UK is Transitioning its Spreadable Covers to Paper-Based
Compostable Takeout Containers
Good Start Packaging Launches a New Range of Takeout Containers
Music Venue-Led Food Drives
The 9:30 Club Addresses Hunger and Food Waste
University-Led Food Research Projects
Breda University Launches a Multi-Year Study
Retail Food Expiry Tools
Gander Taps C-Store Collective to Launch a New Service Partnership
Recycling-Focused Travel Campaigns
Coca-Cola and Merlin Entertainments Partnered for a Promotion
Expiration Management Tools
East of England Co-op Taps Retail Insight for a New Waste Solution
Cambodian Smart Waste Services
Smart Clean Siem Reap is a Pilot Project for Smart Waste Collection
Ceramic Waste Carafes
Sungai Carafe Transforms Bali’s River Waste into Restorative Pottery
Canned Pasta Water Pranks
Eat Wasted Teased a Canned Pasta Water as a Way to Reduce Water Waste
Food Management Tools
Food Wise Pal Helps Track Inventory And Reduce Food Waste
Smart Waste Sorters
AI Snap&Sort Guides Users To Recyclable, Compost, Or Landfill Bins
Shared Cooking Platforms
Wheat Helps Friends Combine Ingredients At Home For Smarter Cooking
Cost-Efficient Sustainable Bags
Paragon Debuts a New Range of Garbage Bags Made with Plastic Waste