Waste reduction
How to reduce fresh produce waste
Most produce waste in packhouses and wholesale is stock that sat too long, was picked out of order or failed quality checks too late. Each cause has a fix you can measure.
Free setup & training · Human support by named fresh produce consultants
99% fewer shipping errors
95% less produce waste with precise inventory control
90% lower administration costs
US$6,200 a year – all modules, 8 users, unlimited sites
Scale of the problem
FAO estimates about 14% of food is lost after harvest and before retail, and UNEP's Food Waste Index 2024 estimates a further 1.05 billion tonnes (19% of food available to consumers) is wasted in retail, food service and households. Fresh produce, with days or weeks of shelf life, carries a large share.
Most produce waste in packhouses and wholesale is stock that sat too long, was picked out of order or failed quality checks too late.
Start increasing profit – watch the videoSix causes and fixes
| Cause | Fix in Producepak |
|---|---|
| Old lots hidden behind new ones | Lot ageing by room and position; FIFO alert at the scan |
| No warning before expiry | Predictive expiry from stock age and sales or packing speed |
| Packing ahead of orders | Pack-to-order planning board |
| Poor product accepted at receival | QC at intake with photos and supplier rejection |
| Slow intake in warm bays | Faster AI inspection – 14.5 to 4.35 min per sample |
| Wrong stock shipped and returned | Scan-verified picking and loading |
Results
| Case study | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-site vegetable packer | 3.5% of packed volume written off | 1.6% |
| Berry and leafy greens wholesaler | 6.0% of purchases dumped | 3.5% |
Related
- Fresh produce inventory management softwareFresh produce inventory software that tracks every lot by age, location and quality, enforces FIFO/FEFO at the scan and…
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Questions
What is the fastest way to cut produce waste?
Make stock age visible by lot and enforce FIFO when pallets are picked. In Producepak case studies this alone halved write-offs within six months.
What is FEFO?
First expired, first out – picking by expiry date rather than receival date, used when lots have different shelf lives.
Does Producepak calculate the value of waste?
Yes. Write-offs and dumps are recorded by lot and reason, with cost, so waste can be reported by product, supplier and site.