It has been just over a year since the launch of the Food Maximization Initiative, which was inspired by the work that many Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) members were already doing in their communities to support food rescue efforts and enhance food security. Global Cold Chain Foundation (GCCF) has been coordinating efforts to achieve three objectives, namely: i) Support food rescue groups by increasing their access to GCCA’s resources and network; ii) Alleviate the barriers that prevent GCCA members from donating food that would otherwise go to waste; and iii) Increase awareness within the membership of the problems caused by food loss and waste and potential solutions.
After completing a needs assessment, GCCF launched the effort in September 2022 with a free membership for food rescue organizations. As 2023 closes out, they have 45 food rescue members. They have facilitated connections between members in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, working in close collaboration with the Global Foodbanking Network. They have also incorporated food loss and waste information session and volunteerism into many of international events.
In 2024, GCCF will continue to build out this initiative, with a focus on training. In January, GCCF will collaborate with Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) on deliver a webinar on Cold Chain 101 for new and upcoming food banks seeking to invest in or grow their access to refrigerated storage.
