Less waste, more profit

• Sandwich-maker targets food waste to save money
• A review reveals up to 80 % of waste can be recycled or reused

By selling leftovers from sandwich and wrap production, Dublin-based food-maker Freshways saves € 7 000 and earns an additional € 8 000 a year in a clear win-win for the company and the environment.

It was realised that about 80 % of the company's waste could be recycled or reused. Freshways explored ways of making its production more sustainable and scouted around for new market possibilities.

Key results

The company reduced the volume of waste by selling the crusts (end slices) of each loaf as raw material for bread-crumbs. This reduced waste costs by € 7 500 a year and generated an income of € 8 000 from the sale of the by-product.

Introducing spray heads and reduced flow taps in basins used for hand-washing saved 750 m3 of water a year. The company also introduced waste segregation, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) recycling, and bulk-buying of condiments like mayonnaise to cut back on packaging waste.