Sectors · From farm to fork

Food loss and waste looks different everywhere

A farm loses food in the field, a hotel at the buffet, a manufacturer on the line, a retailer on the shelf. I work across the whole food supply chain, so I know where losses hide in each part of it, and where they move from one actor to the next.

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Avocados decomposing in compost — Avocados in compost, Lavigny, 2022. Photo: Natalia Krylova

Primary producers

Farms, growers and fisheries. Losses at harvest and post-harvest are often large and rarely measured: produce left in the field, graded out for looks, or spoiled in storage and transport.

Typical hotspots

Unharvested or rejected produce
Cosmetic grading and contract specifications
Storage, cooling and transport

How I help

Field-level loss measurement
Alternative outlets for out-of-spec produce
Training for farm teams, drawing on my own volunteer work on regenerative farms

Still edible chicken and tortellini discarded — Still-edible food sent for composting, Lavigny, 2022. Photo: Natalia Krylova

Food service

Restaurants, hotels, and public sector and private catering. Waste happens in three places: in storage and preparation, in overproduction, and on the plate.

Typical hotspots

Overproduction, buffets and menu planning
Portion sizes and plate waste
Purchasing and stock rotation

How I help

Waste measurement by stream: storage, preparation, plate
Menu, portion and forecasting changes that cut cost
Kitchen team training and surplus redistribution, building on my work with Refettorio Geneva

Artisan ravioli with a quality control label, discarded — Artisan ravioli with its quality-control label, Lavigny, 2022. Photo: Natalia Krylova

Manufacturers

Processing and manufacturing, where yield losses, trimming, changeovers and quality rejects add up, and where FSSC 22000 v7 FLW requirements and ISO 20001:2026 set clear expectations.

Typical hotspots

Process yields, trimming and rework
Line changeovers and quality rejects
Returns and cancelled orders from retailers

How I help

Baseline and FLW cost quantification
FLW system that meets the FSSC 22000 v7 FLW requirements
By-product valorisation and surplus procedures

Boxes of kiwis from New Zealand discarded after a storage or transport defect — Kiwis from New Zealand, discarded after a storage or transport defect. Photo: Natalia Krylova, 2022

Retail

Supermarkets and wholesale. A low in-store waste rate does not always mean low waste: returns and cancelled orders can push food loss onto suppliers. Honest measurement looks at the whole picture.

Typical hotspots

Forecasting, ordering and markdowns
Fresh produce handling and cold chain
Returns and back-hauling to suppliers

How I help

FLW measurement aligned with the FLW Protocol
Surplus redistribution and donation partnerships
Supplier collaboration

Packs of local organic tofu discarded before their use-by date — Local organic GRTA-label tofu, Lavigny, 2022. Photo: Natalia Krylova

Final consumers

Households waste a large share of food, which means businesses and public bodies that reach consumers can make a real difference through date labelling, pack sizes, communication and education.

How I help

Consumer-facing awareness campaigns and content
Workshops for communities, schools and employees
Advice on labelling and pack-size decisions

Next step

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