Food waste is not just a sustainability issue — it is an operational performance opportunity
New Zealand food businesses are increasingly aware that food waste matters, but new research from Kai Commitment shows there is still significant value left on the table. The NZ Business Food Waste Survey found that only 33% of businesses say food waste is under control, while 58% say it is being addressed but there is more work to do. The research also found that economic benefits are the strongest motivator, with many businesses recognising food waste as both a cost and performance issue.
This was the focus of a recent Kai Commitment webinar, where Ian Walsh from Argon & Co joined Carmen Doran to discuss what the findings mean for food producers, manufacturers and supply chain leaders.
Ian’s core message was simple: food waste is one form of operational waste. It is often created by the same issues that reduce productivity — overproduction, poor demand visibility, excess inventory, unnecessary handling, process variation, waiting time and weak measurement routines. When businesses address these causes systematically, they do not just reduce waste. They improve cost, margin, service, resilience and operational performance.
The research shows that many businesses are already acting. More than 70% are measuring or monitoring food waste, optimising operations, seeking alternatives to landfill or wastewater, or donating food for people. But important gaps remain: fewer businesses are measuring root causes, financial impact or environmental footprint with the consistency needed to drive action.
That point was reinforced in the media coverage following the survey. Farmers Weekly reported that value is still being lost by New Zealand food businesses through waste, and highlighted Ian’s view that leadership, measurement and short-interval performance routines are critical to improvement. Hospitality Business also reported Ian’s comment that food waste should be treated as part of a broader operational improvement agenda, not as a one-off sustainability project.
The opportunity now is to move from awareness to action: better measurement, clearer targets, stronger frontline routines, improved planning, and more collaboration across the supply chain.
Watch the webinar here
Read the full NZ Business Food Waste Survey findings here
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Ian Walsh
Partner, New Zealand
