Statistics show that in food businesses, some 74 per cent of food waste happens before the food is even sold or served.

Reducing that level of waste has significant costs benefits.

MIDWASTE's Your Business is Food project is being rolled out across the Port Macquarie-Hastings and Coffs Harbour areas.

The project is part of the Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) statewide program helping food businesses cut costs and increase revenue while helping the environment. 

The main causes of food waste include, overproduction, spoilage, aesthetic specifications from retailers or wholesalers and food preparation. 

Most food waste in business is avoidable by improving stock management, food handling and adjusting serving sizes. 

It’s not feasible to spend money buying and preparing food just to throw it away. 

Finnian’s Irish Tavern has joined the Your Business is Food (YBIF) project, educating their staff on how to reduce food waste in a busy commercial kitchen. 

Finnian’s has their chefs and kitchen staff involved in the program and have just completed a one-week food waste review in their kitchen to calculate their spoilage, preparation and plate waste.

Head chef, Stefan Hostettler, said staff were motivated to join the MIDWASTE YBIF project to find ways to spend less by wasting less. 

We see the program benefiting business and society, he said.

“We hope to achieve a better level of awareness among our staff and customers, which in turn will help us to find sustainable long term solutions that reduce our food waste," Mr Hostettler said.

"The YBIF program involves working with a MIDWASTE project officer and using the YBIF kit of resources such as stickers, posters and coasters to engage staff and customers."

The businesses start by doing an initial food waste review to work out exactly where food is being wasted. 

Following this they undertake take two or three actions to reduce food waste and then complete a follow-up review to measure outcomes.  

To take part and find out more visit the MIDWASTE website. 

This project is supported by NSW EPA as part of Waste Less, Recycle More funded from the waste levy.

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