Starbucks Joins Data-Sharing Pact Aimed at Reducing Food Waste

Starbucks has joined the U.S. Food Waste Pact, a national voluntary agreement focused on using precompetitive collaboration and data sharing to cut waste in the U.S. food system. Starbucks is the second quick service restaurant (QSR) to join the Pact, joining Chick-fil-A and supermarket chains including Ahold Delhaize USA, Aldi U.S., Amazon Fresh, Raley’s, Walmart and Whole Foods Market.

Starbucks has been working to curb food waste for nearly a decade. Since 2016, the Starbucks Foodshare Program has diverted more than 75 million pounds of food from waste streams and donated more than 63 million meals. The FoodShare program is available in 100% company-owned stores in the U.S. and Canada, and food rescue programs operate in more than 30 global markets.

“Having Starbucks as a signatory of the U.S. Food Waste Pact is a big step forward for the QSR subsector,” said Jackie Suggitt, VP of Business Initiatives and Community Engagement at ReFED, a resource partner of the Pact, in a statement. “Starbucks is an industry leader, especially when it comes to food donation and the example that their FoodShare program is setting. Food waste happens across the supply chain, and targeting the QSR subsector broadens our impact and action in reducing food waste systemwide.”

“By participating in the U.S., Food Waste Pact, we work with others in the industry to improve food waste reduction, both within Starbucks and across the sector,” said Kelly Goodejohn, Chief Social Impact Officer at Starbucks in a statement.