A Greener Future: Advancing Sustainability in the Food Industry

CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Mr. Saket Dave, Founder and CEO,  Wastelink

Can you share the inspiration behind founding Wastelink and how the company aims to tackle food waste in India?

• Story of Wastelink goes back to 2011. I was in my second year of college studying Chemical Engineering at Thapar University in Punjab. At the university, I was quite taken aback by the amount of food that gets wasted in the student kitchen and mess facilities. I got my friends together to set up a composting system that converted all the food waste into fertiliser that could be sold to farmers around the area. This project got me intrigued about the waste management industry, and for the next 7 years, I pursued my passion in waste recycling as a side hustle helping companies and non-profits in the Delhi region go zero waste in their operations. It was during these pursuits and experiences that the idea of Wastelink was formed. And in 2018, I decided to quit my job and pursue the idea full-time.
• Wastelink helps food manufacturers manage the surplus produce in their supply chains and discover hidden value in their food waste by upcycling it into ingredients that can feed livestock, generate energy for fuels, or be transformed into new types of food ingredients. In doing so, Wastelink helps prevent carbon emissions that would otherwise result from landfilling or incinerating food – which is how most food waste ends up today.

How does Wastelink’s B2B platform help food manufacturers and retailers transform surplus and rejects into nutritious animal feed ingredients?

• Wastelink’s digital platform and nutrition science technology are uniquely positioned to unlock the value we offer food manufacturers. There are 4 pillars to our servicing offering –

1. 1. 1. Traceability – we provide end-to-end visibility and tracking of each lot of food waste that we take from our supplier partners to its end destination on a digital platform built specifically around food waste traceability
      2. Pan-India reverse logistics of food waste – we partner with our suppliers to provide seamless logistics from all their operating locations. Transporting food is all about timing, and we have built one of its kind reverse supply chain just around this.
      3. Upcycling – we create novel ingredients using our innovative upcycling technology at our processing centers across India
      4. Sustainability – we ensure complete upcycling of food and packaging, and in doing so provide an environmentally responsible solution to food waste that works at scale.

Could you elaborate on Wastelink’s food-to-feed upcycling facilities and how they contribute to preventing food waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

Giving second life to food surplus is at the core of what we do. And the magic happens at our upcycling centres where we process over 25,000 MT of food surplus and waste annually. These facilities are home to our patent-pending processing technology led by a team of food scientists, veterinarians and chemical engineers that for the first time in India are creating upcycled ingredients from food waste at the scale at we do. The environmental impact of what we do is massive as well — for each of tonne of food that we upcycle, we save 3 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

What sets Wastelink apart in its approach to sustainability, particularly in partnering with over 18,000 distributors, warehouses, and factories?

Wastelink operates a true circular economy model that creates value for all stakeholders from food manufacturers, logistics partners to animal feed consumers. What sets us apart, though, is our focus on food suppliers and ensuring that food waste management is not a cost burden to them but a revenue source. We believe good food is not waste, but valuable. In tapping into the nutritional goodness in food, we can create outcomes that are good for economy and great for the planet.

How does Wastelink envision driving the circular economy revolution in India, and what role does it play in supporting the food and beverage industry’s Net-Zero and Zero Waste outcomes?

Here are some mindboggling facts about food waste:

1/3^rd of all food produced in the world is wasted. In India, it amounts to over 200million MT each year. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter after US and China. All of the food wasted in the world is sufficient to provide over 50 billion meals, enough to wipe of global hunger.

These above numbers are not fiction but come from the latest report published by UNEP on food waste crisis the world faces today. If we want to solve the climate crisis, we must solve for food waste.

In India, Wastelink is leading this climate action, and we have built a sustainable upcycling model that addresses challenges of food waste producers. Our technology can help the food and beverage industry of India divert their surplus and waste away from landfills into a circular economy, thereby preventing millions of tons of CO2 emissions each year.

What challenges has Wastelink faced in its journey, and how has the company overcome them to achieve its current impact?

Our approach to food waste is unique and first of its kind to be done in India. While models around food-to-feed upcycling exist globally, none exist in India. Figuring out what works in food waste upcycling for suppliers, building out the reverse logistics network that services over 1500 pin codes today, and building the nutrition science and processing technology to handle thousands of types of food along with the packaging at scale have been areas that we have had to roll-up our sleeves and tackle.

How does Wastelink plan to expand its operations in the future, both in terms of geographic reach and impact on reducing food waste and emissions?

Over next 3 years, we target to upcycle over 1 million tonnes of food annually into sustainable ingredients trusted by India’s top feed, fuel and food brands. In doing so, we will be saving 3 million tons of CO2 each year for India.

In what ways does Wastelink engage with stakeholders and the community to raise awareness about food waste and sustainability practices?

Solving food waste crisis needs a community led movement. We cannot leave the ownership of this problem on the government to fix. In India, there is still a feeling that food waste is biodegradable, and hence we should not worry about it. Instead, other types of waste such as plastic and electronic wastes are bigger problems as they do not decompose. Narratives like these create a false sense that all is ok on the food waste front in India, even though in terms of volumes produced food waste exceeds all other waste categories. It is also the only waste category that is directly linked with climate change. In fact, fumes rising out of our landfills because the food waste there decomposes into methane – a greenhouse gas four times more potent than CO2, can be observed from space! Wastelink has been active voice on raising awareness on this urgency on several forums online and offline through events, partnership with non-profits, and media engagement.

How can individuals and businesses get involved or support Wastelink’s mission to create a more sustainable food ecosystem in India?

Individuals and businesses can play crucial roles in supporting sustainable food waste management in India through various actions:

1. Reduce Food Waste at the Source: Encourage individuals and businesses to minimize food waste by planning meals, buying only what they need, storing food properly, and using leftovers creatively.
2. Donate Surplus Food: Encourage businesses to donate surplus food to food banks, shelters, or organizations that redistribute food to those in need.
3. Animal feed and Composting: Individuals and businesses can partner with companies like ours who can generate greater economic outcomes for food within shelf life. Alternatively they can compost food scraps to create nutrient-rich soil for gardens or Encouraging community composting initiatives can also help manage food waste on a larger scale.
4. Support Sustainable Practices: Choose products and businesses that prioritize sustainable food production and waste management practices. This includes supporting farmers and companies that use eco-friendly packaging, minimize food waste in their operations, and engage in responsible disposal methods.
5. Advocate for Policy Change: Individuals and businesses can advocate for policies that promote sustainable food waste management, such as incentives for composting, regulations to reduce food waste in supply chains, and initiatives to redirect surplus food to those in need.
6. Education and Awareness: Raise awareness about the environmental, social, and economic impacts of food waste through educational campaigns, workshops, and community events. Encourage behavior change by providing information on how individuals and businesses can reduce their food waste footprint.
7. Invest in Innovation: Support research and innovation in food waste reduction technologies and solutions. This includes investing in startups and businesses that develop innovative approaches to prevent, reduce, and manage food waste.

By taking these actions, individuals and businesses can contribute to creating a more sustainable food system in India and help address the challenges associated with food waste.