

This research project is funded through the generosity of the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance External link icon and Mitacs External link icon.
Thank you for your investment in a future where there is no waste.
We've partnered with the Vancouver Economic Commission and Emily Carr University of Art + Design to create the Circular Food Innovation Lab to test solutions to eliminate avoidable food waste across Vancouver’s food supply chain.
There is no fee for businesses to participate in the project. Advice, services, and tools provided as part of the Circular Food Innovation Lab are free of charge.
Information icon The project kicks-off with the first large group session on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, from noon to 4:30pm.
What's happeningRecruitment open for food businesses and organizations to join the Circular Food Innovation Lab
This is an opportunity to reduce costs and wasted food, risk-proof your business, and inform future policies to prevent wasted food in Vancouver’s supply chain.
Food producers, distributors, processors, restaurants, cafés, grocers, and other food businesses are invited to participate. There is no fee to participate.
Read more about the initiative PDF file (370 KB)
Upon completion of this project, a final report and a downloadable toolkit will be released for broad use by food businesses.
Why reduce food waste?
A Canadian report released in 2019 estimated that 8.79 million tonnes of avoidable, unplanned food waste resulted in a loss of $39 billion dollars to the food industry.
In Vancouver, 25,000 tonnes of edible food was discarded by businesses in 2019, representing a loss of 37,000 meals.
The World Resources Institute also found that for every $1 invested in preventing and reducing wasted food, businesses saved $14.
Timeline
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May 2021
External funding approved for Food Waste Innovation Lab project
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Mar - Apr 2022
Businesses invited to participate
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We are here
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Apr 2022
Selection of initial participants
Intake is ongoing until spaces are filled -
Apr 2022 - Jan 2023
Project underway with selected participants
Observation, experimentation, and development of initial prototype solutions
Testing and review of prototypes at business locations
Gathering of learnings and sharing with all participants
Break over December
Timeline may be adjusted according to the group’s needs -
Feb - May 2023
Public report on learnings and next steps
Contact us
For more information, email solving-food-waste@vancouver.ca