UK Pilot Project Uses AI to Cut Food Waste, Emissions

A consortium of leading brands and food charities has launched a pilot project in the United Kingdom using AI to redistribute up to 1.5 million surplus meals, aiming to reduce food waste and carbon emissions while generating cost savings.

Each year, the United Kingdom wastes 4.6Mt of edible food, equivalent to 10 billion meals. Sustainable Ventures has brought together partners including Bristol Superlight, FareShare, FuturePlus, Google Cloud, Howard Tenens Logistics, Nestlé UK&I, and Zest (formerly The Wonki Collective) to develop an AI-driven solution that matches surplus food with demand across the country.

Funded by a US$2.5 million grant from Innovate UK’s BridgeAI initiative, the project pilots an end-to-end AI platform that connects food manufacturers, logistics providers, and charities to improve supply chain efficiency. Over the course of the trial, the platform is expected to redistribute 700t of quality surplus food, preventing an estimated 1,400t of CO2 emissions and delivering up to US$18.8 million in cost savings.

The platform integrates Zest’s AI technology with Google Cloud’s BigQuery and Vertex AI, enabling real-time matching of surplus food products with recipient organizations. Bristol Superlight’s AI and machine learning logistics system monitors the quality of surplus food throughout its delivery journey. A prior trial using Zest’s technology at a Nestlé factory reduced edible food waste by 87% over two weeks.

Esra Kasapoglu, Director of AI and Data Economy, Innovate UK, says that the initiative exemplifies how strategic funding and cross-industry collaboration can create innovative AI solutions that reduce waste, emissions, and costs while advancing sustainability and circular economy models.

The project aims to enhance efficiency in food redistribution to over 8,000 charities and community groups across the United Kingdom, amplifying social impact, says Simon Millard, Director of Food, FareShare.