“Of all the food produced worldwide, more than one third is not consumed,” Toine explains. “If you then consider that one third of greenhouse gases is linked to our food system, it means that 8 to 10 percent of these gases is created for no good reason.” Reducing food wastage is therefore an effective approach to reducing the ecological footprint of food production, but this does require systemic change, according to Toine. “We are working to build a food system in which ‘use everything’ is the default approach. It means going from a linear to a circular system.”

 

Changing the playing field

The foundation’s systemic approach to reducing food wastage means working with businesses, public authorities and societal organisations to counter wastage, throughout the whole chain. So far, 120 organisations have joined the foundation as a stakeholder. Toine: “The most important thing is that we collectively create a narrative regarding the prevention of wastage, and that we show how we can do things differently. Not just by preaching but also by actively working with the various sectors to set a new and positive standard.” A number of businesses and organisations have been clustered together within the foundation to concentrate for instance on bread or on circular animal protein. “By bundling forces within a cluster, you can change the playing field,” says Toine.

 

More than 5 million tonnes

Duynie, part of Cosun, has been a stakeholder in the foundation since March 2023. Duynie is not only focused on preventing wastage like many of the current stakeholders, but also on the valorisation of organic residual flows, from livestock feed to human-grade food. Nicole: “It all started in 1968 with Arie Verduyn, Jan van Nierop and a single truck with which brewers’ grains and potato products were collected, to be used as local livestock feed. With 55 years of experience and an entrepreneurial culture, Duynie has grown into a business that gives a new circular application to more than 5 million tonnes of co-products from the food, beverage and bio-fuel industries. These co-products are still packed with nutrition and value! This way we can valorise these products as circular livestock feed, while also seeking innovative ways to use them for technical applications, pet food, and also human-grade food. Our latest innovation enables us to separate protein from brewers’ spent grains, which can then be used for instance in meat substitute, as a low environmental alternative to soy protein.”

 

From a small player to a circular trendsetter

According to Toine, preventing food wastage might be the most important goal, but making optimum use of residual flows is also a crucial element. “In order to achieve ‘total use’, chains need to become more flexible. Working with natural products means you’re bound to have setbacks from time to time, or you can have a spot or blemish here and there that needs to be removed, that’s just how nature is. Or a processing plant can suffer a glitch so that a product cannot be processed for the moment, for instance a potato chips factory. The goal is then to extract maximum value from the raw materials that remain. That is what Duynie is all about, at the core. Duynie will collect the materials and then consider how it can best be used in the chain.” Nicole adds: “Duynie thus connects perfectly with the mission of Stichting Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling, by demonstrating that you can build a successful company on a circular business model. And we do so, not just in the Netherlands but throughout Europe.” “Exactly”, says Toine, “that’s why choosing to work with Duynie means not just choosing a one-time solution, but a total solution for the long term.”

 

Valorising products together

For Duynie, joining the foundation opens up a lot of opportunities. “Changing the chain is something you need to do together. Stichting Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling has a large network of knowledge institutes, businesses and societal organisations. We have our own network and the innovations to valorise co-products at a progressively higher level. By working together, we can help each other to valorise products and to make circularity the default approach.” This can be achieved through sharing knowledge and inspiration, but also at a practical level. “If another of the foundation’s partners is seeking a sustainable solution for a certain residual flow, for instance a dryer with which to conserve a co-product, then we have various options to offer.”

 

Stakeholder event

Stichting Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling organises a stakeholder event twice a year, for all partners. Toine: “All sorts of new collaborative ventures arise spontaneously at these events. It is an eco-system full of people dedicated to tackling food wastage.” At the event, stakeholders are given a platform to present their activities and to inspire others, and to search for new scalable solutions together. The next stakeholder event will take place on Thursday 22 June. That is when Duynie will present itself to the other stakeholders as a new partner, and will explain their latest innovation.

Want to do more to counter food wastage? Visit https://samentegenvoedselverspilling.nl/ and participate in the Verspillingsvrije Week (a week without wastage).