World Food Day: A case study on food loss and waste across a plum supply chain
By
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Cady Susswein,
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Judith Hochhauser Schneider,
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and Anne Garsztka
© Shutterstock/Arina P Habich
Today is World Food Day—a day to reflect on the importance of food and where it comes from when so much of it gets wasted globally. To honor the day, we want to share a case study on produce food loss and waste that can be applied to similar supply chains. This year, the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment (PCFWC), of which World Wildlife Fund is a resource partner, published a case study on food loss and waste (FLW) in organic plum supply chain in the Pacific Northwest. The case study is part of a series of case studies that have investigated FLW in various supply chains, including potatoes and strawberries. It aimed to identify supply chain strengths, challenges, and recommendations for stakeholders already implementing many FLW best practices.
What we did
Two varieties of plums were studied—Friars (black plums) and Simkas (red plums)—starting at a small orchard (JL’s Organic Orchards) at the beginning of the value chain, followed by a distribution center (Organically Grown Company), and then a group of retail stores that specialize in local and organic foods at the end of the value chain (New Seasons Market). Over five months, the Global Impact Collective—a strategy consultancy that blends systems thinking and human-centered design to solve complex challenges in food systems—conducted numerous interviews and site visits and synthesized data from enterprise software systems.
In parallel, our partners Cascade Agroecology performed post-harvest measurements at the farm level using World Wildlife Fund’s open-source Global Farm Loss Tool. This tool measured the marketable (fruit that could have been sold if harvested), edible but unmarketable (fruit that had cosmetic defects from wind, frost, or size), and inedible fruit that was left behind after harvest.
“It brings me joy to bring food to others.”
Jeff Leach JL’s Organic Orchards
Why plums? Why now?
Plums are highly sensitive to changes in weather and ripen rapidly in hot weather, sometimes creating a short window for harvest. They are also delicate, highly perishable, and labor-intensive to harvest. What is learned about plums can also be applied to stone fruits like peaches and nectarines.
What we found
At the farm:
Over 60% of fruit was left in the field at the farm level. Of that, 9% was marketable, 67% was edible but unmarketable, and 24% was spoiled. While this may seem like a high loss, it’s important to keep in mind two things. One, data was taken from an area of the field that ripened unusually quickly, so loss throughout the orchard was likely lower on average. Two, the marketable fruit loss was just 9% of total loss. If more of the edible, nonmarketable fruit made it down the supply chain, it may have increased waste down the line.
At distribution:
Organically Grown Company was piloting a whole-harvest purchasing model with JL’s Organic Orchards, sorting fruit into Premium (large, firm, and no scarring), Choice (smaller or some scarring), and Utility (soft, still edible, but not marketable on retail shelves) grades. This model helped drive waste down as OGC attempted to find processors (juice makers, distillers, or dried fruit producers) for fruit that might not otherwise be sold. Only 10% of all fruit was not used for human consumption.
At the store:
Waste ranged from 4%-10% on average, depending on the variety at New Seasons Market. Because both ripen at a similar rate, the difference in waste between varieties signaled potential differences in consumer knowledge or demand, as Friars are more “typical” plums. The average waste also varied considerably by store from 2% to 42%, suggesting that stronger training and management practices could help limit waste.
“There’s not a lack of farmer talent. There's a lack of ability to get the food to the right place at the right time. The issue is volume and what you can save at what cost. Some places want a lot, and we don't have enough or some places want too little and we have too much. We have four short weeks to find homes for everything. The farm is working diligently not to transfer waste downstream, but this is a collective problem that we need to solve together.”
Brian Keogh Organically Grown Company
At the farm:
Over 60% of fruit was left in the field at the farm level. Of that, 9% was marketable, 67% was edible but unmarketable, and 24% was spoiled. While this may seem like a high loss, it’s important to keep in mind two things. One, data was taken from an area of the field that ripened unusually quickly, so loss throughout the orchard was likely lower on average. Two, the marketable fruit loss was just 9% of total loss. If more of the edible, nonmarketable fruit made it down the supply chain, it may have increased waste down the line.
At distribution:
Organically Grown Company was piloting a whole-harvest purchasing model with JL’s Organic Orchards, sorting fruit into Premium (large, firm, and no scarring), Choice (smaller or some scarring), and Utility (soft, still edible, but not marketable on retail shelves) grades. This model helped drive waste down as OGC attempted to find processors (juice makers, distillers, or dried fruit producers) for fruit that might not otherwise be sold. Only 10% of all fruit was not used for human consumption.
At the store:
Waste ranged from 4%-10% on average, depending on the variety at New Seasons Market. Because both ripen at a similar rate, the difference in waste between varieties signaled potential differences in consumer knowledge or demand, as Friars are more “typical” plums. The average waste also varied considerably by store from 2% to 42%, suggesting that stronger training and management practices could help limit waste.
Recommendations
At the farm:
The farm had a strong relationship with the distribution center, which made short-turn transportation logistics possible in the event of unpredictable weather, but having cold storage on premises would further help the farm navigate climate fluctuations. Also, the farm did not have a strong network of local gleaners in the area to help find homes for edible but unmarketable fruit. While this process can be time-consuming with little financial benefit, organizations like FarmLink or Harvest Against Hunger make it easier, providing tax benefits and goodwill marketing.
At distribution:
Organically Grown Company’s ability to find homes for edible but unmarketable fruit requires a strong processor market, which has significantly contracted in recent years. Establishing business-to-business directories, online marketplaces for imperfect fruit, or cooperative agreements with processors could help build the market.
At retail:
There was a great deal of variation in waste from store to store. Developing standardized training modules, best-practice handbooks, and mentoring programs can reduce the impact of turnover and skill gaps. Financial or recognition-based incentives can also motivate managers to fine-tune ordering and handling practices when used well. Finally, advances in AI shrink-reducing tools with humans at the helm could also be useful for planning.
What's next?
Since publishing the case study, participants in the plum supply chain have already noted changes they have made, or will make, in their approaches. For instance, the retailer said it’s working to separate SKUs to better track waste across plum varieties and better understand customer preferences. They are also standardizing requirements and training across their growing number of stores while creating flexibility for different store needs.
As a follow-up to this work, the Global Impact Collective facilitated an event in the Portland area, spotlighting the work of the grower, distributor, retail store, and PCFWC signatories for them to share their stories. Participants included representatives from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, City of Portland, manufacturing companies, the food service industry, and community-based organizations. The group continued brainstorming ideas for ways to prevent waste, including how Oregon and relevant stakeholders could use grants or economic incubator funding to strengthen the local micro-processing market, as well as how we can influence consumer preference for perfect produce, use packaging that reduces waste, and create a reliable network of gleaners.
So, in honor of World Food Day, we invite you to read the complete case study here: PCFWC Plum Case Study and think about how you can reduce food waste in your local community.
“Most people don’t realize how complex the grocery business is. This study offered a unique opportunity for us to dive into a specific product and learn about how it is handled throughout its life cycle to better understand how each partner can improve the process and reduce waste.”
Athena Petty New Seasons Market
Authors Cady Susswein and Judith Hochhauser Schneider are with the Global Impact Collective.