Every year, all households in the Netherlands throw away a total of 800 million kilos of food. If we express that in money, we are talking about an amount of 2.5 billion euros! In 2011, 16,655,799 people lived in the Netherlands. We wasted between 89 and 210 kg per household.  Reason enough, therefore, to list a number of companies that are trying to combat these huge numbers or are actually using these food scraps for reuse.

1. No Waste Network

No waste network is an initiative of the  Ministry of Economic Affairs . There is close collaboration with Alliance Sustainable Food, Wageningen UR and other stakeholders. To reduce food waste they bring you the latest news, research and initiatives.

If you want  to contribute  to reducing food wastage yourself, there are a number of initiatives  on the No Waste Network site  where consumers are informed about, for example, pilot schemes of supermarkets.

In addition to these initiatives, you as a consumer can also send an email to No Waste Network. These ideas are then shared on their page, making other consumers aware of other people’s initiatives.

NWN also likes to talk to other entrepreneurs, so feel free to  contact  them

“Why produce waste if it is thrown away!”

2. Instock

Instock is a hip eatery  in Amsterdam-East that literally puts food waste  on the map. Behind the scenes, menus are compiled of leftover food scraps from the supermarket. The great thing about Instock is that the company was founded by  4 old employees  of the Albert Heijn.

A plan was written that, with the approval of the management of Albert Heijn and the support of Ahold, led to this  pop-up restaurant .

The products that are on the menu in the evening are collected every morning with an  ‘electronic food rescue cart’. In this way it remains a question every day what is on the menu in the restaurant, the shop and in the food truck that they have.

“What is ugly is the way that this different produce is being treated all around the world”

3. Damn Foodwaste

Damn Foodwaste  is an online and offline publicity campaign against food waste . By organizing  mega lunches  in Amsterdam, Groningen, Zwolle and Rotterdam, she wanted to point out to as many people as possible that wasting these ingredients is really unnecessary.

About 13,000 visitors  came to these lunches  and over 6 million people were reached through the media  .

During these lunches, visitors could not only come for a free lunch, but there was also a market where  local initiatives  against food waste were presented .

4. Kromkommer

Too crooked, too thick, too small, etc. Believe it or not, but they are seriously a number of reasons why  10% of all fruit and vegetables  are thrown away. There is nothing wrong with the taste of these vegetables and yet they unfortunately end up on the mountain of waste. GORGEOUS!

Fortunately the people behind  ‘kromkommer’  ensure that these vegetables can be found on your plate! Through fun campaigns, inspiring stories and with the tastiest soups of the craziest vegetables, they ensure that the vegetables return to the place where they belong.

Since November 2013, Kromkommer has started working together with a great no-waste initiative:  Too Good to Waste 

A number of core values ​​that characterize Kromkommer are:

  • Stimulating , they like to make others think, pushing the boundaries and challenging others.
  • ‘The sky is the limit’,  completely eliminating the problem of food waste in a positive way. Preferably make the Netherlands aware of the problem as quickly as possible.
  • ‘What you see is what you get’ , the products of kromkommer are pure. What they do is real and what they do, they do so openly and honestly.

5. Refood (Canada)

Refood  ensures that fruits and vegetables that are left over at local vendors are given away to  homeless people  and  primary school children .

First of all, the products that would actually be thrown away are collected from local shops, farms and restaurants. These products are then prepared by  chefs,  after which the prepared products are distributed to homeless people and to children in primary schools.

6. End food waste / Ugly Fruit & Veg (Amerika)

Unfortunately, ‘ugly ducklings’ in the field of fruit and vegetables are not allowed in the supermarkets. That, of course, does not change the taste of these so-called  ‘ugly ducklings’. Jordan Figueiredo is the big brain behind Ugly fruit & Veg in America, California. Jordan works together with local companies and schools to inform them about all the options available with so-called  ‘ ugly fruits & vegetables’

Unfortunately, ‘ugly ducklings’ in the field of fruit and vegetables are not allowed in supermarkets. That, of course, does not change the taste of these so-called  ‘ugly ducklings’. Jordan Figueiredo is the big brain behind Ugly fruit & Veg in America, California. Jordan works together with local companies and schools to inform them about all the options available with so-called  ‘ ugly fruits & vegetables a

More initiatives and projects

Do you know more companies that want to tackle the fight against food wastage? Let us know in a response below.

We are very curious about all the local initiatives and projects that are currently underway to combat food waste.