The resources and tools that comprise the Food Waste PRO (Prevention and Reduction Opportunity) Toolkit were developed as part of DPIRD’s 'Validating WA Food Waste Opportunities' project.
The step-by-step process and decision-making tools were developed collaboratively by Curtin University researchers, several WA agrifood SMEs and industry groups that were interested in reducing their food waste using either preventative strategies (e.g. improving processing and procurement methods, staff training, shelf-life extension) or by value-adding to second-grade produce and by-products.
This Toolkit can be used by industry groups or by individual businesses interested in exploring and assessing commercially feasible opportunities to improve food waste outcomes. Each step in the process is supported by a set of guides and tools such as data collection templates, waste calculators, decision-making tools, and cost benefit analysis tools.
By using the Toolkit, SMEs will come away with an understanding of their waste volumes, points of waste generation, and potential opportunities. The Toolkit is designed to assist with stop/go decision-making and de-risking potential investment in food waste solutions.
Designed to accommodate users from any agrifood industry, the steps and tools have been used by SMEs and industry groups in vegetable processing, beverage manufacturing, horticulture, grain processing, meat processing, and seafood.
The Food Waste PRO Toolkit was funded by DPIRD, with support from the End Food Waste Co-operative Research Centre and Curtin University.
See the impact the Food Waste PRO Toolkit has had on WA agrifood SMEs
View case study videosExplore the Toolkit
There are six key steps that businesses and industry groups should undertake when exploring opportunities to reduce food waste.
Please note that although the general steps are applicable to individual businesses and industry groups, the specific tools and guides have been adapted for these two separate user contexts. It is recommended that individual businesses refer to the downloadable resources under the ‘Individual Businesses’ menu, and groups of two or more businesses refer to the ‘Industry Groups’ menu.
Step 1 – Set expectations: Use the self-assessed screening tool to understand the types of solutions your business or industry group has the capacity to take on. This helps to set the right level of expectation for what is possible within the near-term (1-3 years). Expected completion time: 10 minutes.
Step 2 – Walk the chain: Map your production processes, waste flows, product flows, and supply chain. A guide to mapping is provided to help with the process and set the scope of what by-products or waste streams you will focus on. Expected completion time: 1-2 hours.
Step 3 – Measure: Use the data collection sheet templates and waste calculator to identify the volumes of waste generated and the financial cost to your business or group. Data visualisations generated by the waste calculator will help to highlight the ‘hotspots’ (waste streams with the highest volumes, percentages of waste, and financial cost to business). Expected completion time: 30 minutes to 1 hour if businesses have existing data; and between 7-10 hours spread over 3-5 weeks if businesses need to collect data.
Step 4 – Identify opportunities: Brainstorm all the possible options for reducing food waste. Conducting a desktop review may be necessary to find other solutions you may not already be aware of. Use the sustainability ranking tool to get a general idea of how these solutions compare to one another. Expected completion time: 10+ hours.
Step 5 – Make stop/go decisions: Use the pre-feasibility tool to narrow down the possible options according to technical, operational, regulatory, and market/economic factors. The tool uses automated visual coding to help you identify the options with most commercial potential. Expected completion time: 30+ hours depending on depth of research.
Step 6 – Conduct cost benefit and/or direct cost comparison analysis: Do a deeper dive into the potential financial feasibility of 1-2 of the most viable options identified in Step 5. Expected completion time: 1-4 hours.
These steps can be used to develop a better understanding of what is involved in reducing, reusing or recycling food waste, and underpin associated business and investment decisions.
The Food Waste PRO Toolkit can be used by individual businesses to:
- Identify specific operational areas where food waste can be reduced, as well as where processes can be generally optimised or improved.
- Identify preventative strategies for food waste reduction.
- Explore the feasibility of value-adding or new product development opportunities.
Some businesses may already be tracking production volumes, yields, waste streams and by-products to some extent. The steps, templates, and tools have been designed with this in mind. The guides will indicate where you can input data you may have already collected.
It is recommended that any results of the tools are printed as a hardcopy or saved as a PDF.
Step 1 – Set expectations
Step 2 - Walk the chain
Steps 3 to 6 – Food waste reduction tool
For industry groups, the Food Waste PRO Toolkit can be used most effectively to:
- Identify preventative strategies for food waste reduction.
- Explore the feasibility of value-adding or new product development opportunities.
- Seek funding or government support by using the tools to build a business case.
‘Industry group’ refers to a formal or informal collection of businesses that come together to achieve a shared goal – e.g. value-adding; consumer education; exporting; capital investments.
It is recommended that industry groups nominate a ‘champion’ or leader to organise the collective in a structured manner (e.g. regular meetings), follow up on actions, and engage with external stakeholders.
Some businesses and industries may already track production volumes, yields, waste streams and by-products to some extent. The steps, templates, and tools have been designed with this in mind. The guides will indicate where you can input data you may have already collected.
It is recommended that any results of the tools are printed as a hardcopy or saved as a PDF.
Step 1 – Set expectations
Step 2 – Walk the chain
Steps 3 to 6 – Food waste reduction tool
Other templates
A recorded webinar and accompanying materials are available for download. These can be used as a self-paced guide to progressing through the six steps, and a visual aid for understanding how to use the tools.
Please note that the webinar was conducted using the tools for Individual Businesses. However, most of the functionalities and principles are still applicable to the Industry Group tools.
Embed AFGC webinar recording
Fresh Frontier
Duration: 1 minute
Sweeter Banana
Duration: 1 minute 16 seconds
Kommunity Brew
Duration: 1 minute 14 seconds
Fins Seafood
Duration: 1 minute
Contact us
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Curtin University - Food Waste PRO team0434 591 053 lynne.loo@curtin.edu.au
0423 840 957 j.howieson@curtin.edu.au
Funding and support
The Food Waste PRO Toolkit is an outcome of the Validating WA Food Waste Opportunities project which was funded by DPIRD, and supported by End Food Waste Australia and Curtin University.
