Most consumers can't tell the difference between best before and use by and use them interchangeably.

On this episode of Food Waste Matters, Dr. Joanne Freeman sits down with Associate Professor Lukas Parker from RMIT to delve into the intricacies of food labelling and how clear instructions could help mitigate food waste. Lukas is based in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University, where he leads 3C, Communication and Change Co-lab. He is also a member of End Food Waste Australia, leading the National Date Labelling and Storage Advice Project. Specifically, his team worked with End Food Waste Australia to collect data from 125 consumer interviews which explored how consumers use (or do not use) existing food date labelling and storage advice to determine food freshness. Tune into this episode as Jo and Lukas discuss key findings and information including:

• Confusion about existing labels and how to deal with food freshness, reliability, and storage.

• How advice such as ‘store in a cool, dry place’ was interpreted as vague and unhelpful and less likely to be perceived as reliable or trustworthy for more humid climates.

• Differences in demographics when it comes to making decisions about food quality and waste.

• The usefulness of food dates in order to manage food at home and from a business perspective.

• Riskier food categories and the differences in discernment when assessing if food can still be consumed.

Date labels are not straightforward, and this episode touches on key points from consumers and researchers alike. To find out more about the national date labelling and storage advice (phase 1) please visit https://endfoodwaste.com.au/projects/national-date-labelling-and-storage-advice-phase-1/. Additional details about 3C (Communication and Change Co-lab) are also available at https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/media-and-communication/research/communication-change-colab.

We also take this opportunity to thank Lukas Parker for his time. If you would like to reach out to Lukas he can be reached on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlukas/.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.

And this episode is also available on our YouTube channel at:

https://youtu.be/vUbDxoHe3a0

Australia. Fertile land and an abundance of agricultural products. So, what does this mean when it comes to food waste?

Regional businesses sustain the economy throughout Australia, particularly in the agricultural and food sectors. Despite their importance, these businesses often struggle with implementing sustainable practices, such as decreasing food waste, due to limited resources, lack of knowledge, and capacity constraints. This episode is all about the regions, as Linda Bonney joins Dr Joanne Freeman from Honey & Fox and Julie Bates from Regional Development Australia Murraylands Riverland (RDAMR). Both Jo and Julie are research participants for End Food Waste Australia, and for several months, they held detailed discussions and interacted with food businesses in the Murraylands and Riverland regional areas of South Australia. These companies, which varied from small-scale food manufacturers to family-run businesses, consistently expressed their eagerness to tackle food waste. However, many were uncertain about how to get started. In this episode, you can hear all about:

• An overview of the 'Cultivating the Capacity of Food Businesses to Reduce and Transform Food Waste - Phase 1' project and how it came about.

• How the research was collected and the most surprising findings regarding the training of regional food businesses.

• Future visions and long-term plans for the Food Waste Transformers Program.

• The next steps for this initiative and the plan to roll out the program nationally, with support from potential funders.

• Stories about how food waste strategies are being used both in the home and in the field.

Tackling the specific obstacles that small regional businesses encounter is fundamental to future food waste management and providing them with a tangible solution towards a more eco-friendly and robust future will only be of benefit for economies throughout Australia.

To find out about Murraylands & Riverland, you can visit their website at https://rdamr.com.au/ and to find out more about Cultivating the Capacity of Food Businesses to Reduce and Transform Food Waste – Phase One, please visit https://endfoodwaste.com.au/projects/cultivating-the-capacity-of-food-businesses-to-reduce-and-transform-food-waste-phase-one/

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at https://www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit https://⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.

Packaging design goes beyond aesthetics; it must also be functional, efficient, and aligned with broader environmental goals.

In this episode of Food Waste Matters, we welcome Helen Johnston from Honey & Fox who is chatting with Zaidee Jackson. Zaidee is the National Business Development Manager for Sustainable Packaging at Ball & Doggett and the driving force behind Ecoporium, the go-to destination for sustainable packaging. Not only do Helen and Zaidee share a mutual love for biltong, but they also have a passion for packaging. Listen in as the conversation unfolds to hear about:

• Complex challenges small businesses face in implementing truly sustainable packaging solutions that balance functionality, environmental impact, convenience, and cost.

• Fit-for-purpose and functionality of packaging that reduces a carbon footprint and promotes a circular economy.

• Design efficiency and using fewer materials which involves innovative thinking and re-engineering traditional packaging concepts.

• The role that consumers play by choosing products with sustainable packaging and supporting small businesses.

Sustainable packaging is not just about meeting the demands of today but also about safeguarding the future. By ensuring that packaging is functional, efficient, and environmentally aligned, we can make a significant impact in the fight against food waste.

We encourage you to follow Zaidee as she inspires and creates impactful experiences. Her links are listed below:

www.ballanddoggett.com.au

www.ecoporium.com.au

https://ecoporium.com.au/article/ecoporium12-practical-steps-to-your-sustainability-pathway/

https://ecoporium.com.au/ecoaudit/

https://ecoporium.com.au/product-index/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaideejackson/

https://www.instagram.com/ballanddoggett/

https://www.instagram.com/ecoporium.com.au/

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.

How do you find the sweet spot for optimum packaging design and reduce food waste at the same time?

In today’s episode, Jayne Gallagher is in conversation with Nerida Kelton the Vice President Sustainability & Save Food, for the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) and the Executive Director for the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP). It’s no wonder that Nerida is a keen advocate for safe food packaging, bringing a wealth of experience, with 26 years in the industry under her belt.

Specifically, Jayne and Nerida talk about five key functional criteria categories for saving food packaging; these include:

1) Design to contain and protect food.

2) Design to preserve and extend shelf life.

3) Design to provide consumer convenience.

4) Design to communicate with consumers.

5) Design to balance food and packaging waste targets.

Within this conversation you can also hear about:

• The unintended consequences of food waste when reducing packaging as the primary goal. Packaging has a vital role in protecting, containing, preserving, and transporting food to households. Without it, this would not be possible.

• Preservation and extension of shelf life through transportation, distribution and innovative packaging.

• Safe food packaging design guidelines for businesses.

Nerida is extremely proud of the fact that the AIP now lead the way as one of the global packaging experts. Packaging's role in minimising food waste is an important part of improving and promoting global collaboration.

Resources of interest for our listeners include:

Save Food Packaging Criteria and Framework – Final Report

https://endfoodwaste.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2402_Final-Report-121-2024-for-publishing-website.pdf

Rethink Packaging Design: Use Less, Use Longer and Use Again - Article

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rethink-packaging-design-use-less-longer-again-nerida-kelton-maip/

AIP’s commitment to Fighting Food Waste and Food Loss

https://aipack.com.au/fight-food-waste/

Educational resources and training

https://aipack.com.au/education/aip-education-overview/

Joining the AIP

https://aipack.com.au/join-the-aip-link-to-membership-application-pdf/

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at https://www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit https://⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.

Do you feel that you’re fighting tooth and nail to secure grant funding to keep your food waste dreams alive?

While tackling the immense problem of food waste, many small businesses and organisations ask where can I get help? Where can I get support to implement ideas that I have? How can I scale? This week, the conversation is centred around these very questions as Jayne Gallagher chats with Prue Saxby, an expert in grants from Indigo Gold, who has helped many businesses get funding to overcome problems such as food waste. Tune in as Jayne and Prue talk about:

• The most common mistakes when it comes to grant writing and applications and how to solve them and five key points to consider.

• Creating a grant wish list and incorporating strategic planning into your approach. This planning demonstrates to funders that your project is well-thought-out and aligns with long-term goals.

• How to ensure that your project fits the grant’s criteria. Don’t try to force your project into a grant that isn’t a good match.

For food businesses there are many grants available, specifically around food waste, recycling, packaging, manufacturing and export.

Prue offers multiple resources to aid in the grant application process, including:

Free Grant List: A comprehensive list of available grants updated monthly. Sign up at https://indigogold.com.au/free-grant-list-weekly-tips/

Consultation Services: From one-hour sessions to full application support. Apply at https://indigogold.com.au/mentoring-session/

Grant Writing Academy - an annual program which gives you the clarity and confidence to write high quality grant applications.

https://indigogold.com.au/grant-writing-academy/

Facebook Group: A community for asking questions and getting tips.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/grantwritingacademy?_ga=2.196029486.362867297.1724125153-1448221473.1723632395

Applying for grants doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right approach, preparation, and support, you can significantly increase your chances of getting into the yes pile.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.

This episode features our CEO check-in with Dr. Steven Lapidge, of End Food Waste Australia. Dr Lapidge shared insights and highlights from the 2024 National Food Waste Summit held in Melbourne, detailing key actions and takeaways for combating food waste. With over 300 people who attended the event, including international guests, Steve shares his top 10 takeaway messages from the conference. These include:

1. The 16-page 2024 to 2030 strategic business plan. Find out more at https://endfoodwaste.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/EFWA-Strategic-Business-2024-2030.pdf
2. Food donation tax incentives which have recently been introduced to the Australian senate, as talked about by Brianna Casey from Foodbank Australia. Information available at https://www.foodbank.org.au/ and https://endfoodwaste.com.au/media-release-revolutionary-national-food-donation-tax-incentive-introduced-to-australian-parliament/
3. Target, Measure and Act. A mantra to live by to assist in the reduction of food waste.
4. Mandatory food waste reporting as spoken about by Jolanda Dings from Lamb Western EMEA, see https://lambweston.eu/emea.
5. Edwina Beveridge from Blantyre Farms, who operates the first piggery to be certified under the Renewable Energy Target with an accredited biogas electricity generation system sourced from agricultural waste.
6. The on-the-job PhD program with KPMG and Central Queensland University, as heard in episode 13 and the students who are currently within the program. Listen to our recent episode here https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/honey-and-fox/episodes/S2E13a-Beyond-Academia-with-Tangerine-Holt--Olav-Muurlink--Hannah-Churton-and-Stephanie-Bayancela-e2mmevj and find out more about the program at https://endfoodwaste.com.au/research-and-development/industry-phd-program/
7. Discussion about the implementation of the Nationwide Consumer Behaviour Change Campaign.
8. Encouraging teamwork and collaboration with participants across the summit.
9. How none of us can do it alone with Ian Opperman stating we don’t get anywhere if we don’t care.
10. Celebrations of contributions to reducing food waste with the inaugural Food Waste Action Awards. Winners included:

• Sodexo who collected the Industry Impact Award.
• Australian Institute of Packaging and RMIT University with the collaboration award.
• Mark Boulet of Monash University gained the Research Award.
• Simplot with the Foodbank Australia Award.

Congratulations to End Food Waste Australia for another successful summit. We look forward to supporting and hearing more about future incentives and involvement in fighting the fight against food waste.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.

In Australia, addressing the issue of food waste is considered a complex problem that involves constantly shifting environmental, economic, social, and ethical dynamics. To effectively tackle these interdisciplinary challenges, researchers must take a comprehensive approach to collecting evidence.

However, while academic work has evolved greatly in the past six decades, the doctoral curriculum has remained largely unchanged. As a result, graduates need to possess adaptability and ingenuity to lead projects in a rapidly changing environment, bridging the gap between traditional thesis-based research and the needs of industry and government.

This week on the Food Waste Matters Podcast, we bring you three separate episodes, spread over three days, with the academics who are in amongst both research and industry under the Future Leaders Program.

In these episodes, you will hear from the following voices and their topics of research:

Part One:

• Tangerine Holt, KPMG

• Olav Muurlink, CQU

• Hannah Churton, QUT

  Policy, regulation and legislation barriers, opportunities and recommendations to maximise utilisation of food waste and food bi-products

• Stephanie Bayancela, University of Adelaide

  Transition towards circular economy in Australian agrifood supply chains

Part Two:

• Hector Vera Wood, UQ

  Developing innovative formulations of biobased controlled release fertilisers

• Mary Addae, UQ

  Cost benefit analysis of compost use in Australia

Part Three:

• Shanmugam Alagappan, UQ

  Optimising and industrialising black soldier fly (BSF) production - redirecting food waste to livestock feed production using insects

• Alexis Chung, Curtin University

  Finding opportunity to use abalone organs to use for functional human outcomes

• Melinda Nguyen, University of Adelaide

  Development of advanced materials for food packaging

To find out more about the Future Leaders Program and End Food Waste Australia, please visit ⁠https://endfoodwaste.com.au/projects/future-leaders-program⁠.

A big thank you to all the students for their time and dedication in fighting against food waste.

This podcast is brought to you by Honey & Fox, whose passion is food and the people who produce it. Honey & Fox works with fishers, farmers and small food businesses to help them find and sell to their perfect customers – people who will buy without questioning the price. Find out more at www.honeyandfox.com.au.

This podcast is supported by End Food Waste Australia, which is leading impactful and research-informed food waste actions. To learn more about how they are working toward a more sustainable future, please visit ⁠www.endfoodwaste.com.au⁠.