Hey YODLers,
Just came across this article in Business in Vancouver today profiling BC-based food waste innovators, Trendi Tech and ReFeed.
Some of the notable highlights of the article:
On Trendi’s newest initiative:
Earlier this year, Trendi embarked on a new initiative, commissioning the construction of a prototype mobile lab that can be dropped off at farms to clean, process and freeze-dry fruits and vegetables that might otherwise go to waste. There, the mobile lab can process the produce on site rather than shipping those food products to Trendi's own facilities – a trip that would require both additional time and the use of refrigeration to keep the produce safe for human consumption.
Trendi partnering with a manufacturing company to build the prototype:
The mobile lab was built locally by Surrey's Apollo Custom Manufacturing Ltd.
Apollo is best known for building custom food trucks and ghost kitchens. It had never before dipped its toes into mobile food labs prior to partnering with Trendi to convert a 12-metre-long shipping container into a mini-facility that would come under the scrutiny of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
"There was some very expensive equipment going in there – very technical equipment that we're not used to. We're used to charboilers, and fryers and grills," said Rob Mallory, Apollo's sales and marketing manager.
How ReFeed is curbing food waste and contributing to a circular economy:
Produce warehouses, distributors and importers pay ReFeed to collect byproduct that would otherwise be used for composting. ReFeed workers take in excess produce and sort what's fit for human consumption and what's best for livestock feed. The produce and livestock feed are delivered to organizations like food banks and dairy farms, respectively, which in turn pay ReFeed for that service.
BIV Article --> https://biv.com/article/2022/10/food-waste-innovators-take-aim-west-coast-farms?utm_source=BIV+Newsletters%2C+effective+July+1%2C+2017&utm_campaign=35fb69279e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_09_26_06_17_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c5e00a74ef-35fb69279e-211514548
Have a great long weekend!
cc @Nora Weber @Curtis Wong @Lavina Gully