[Chicago, IL, October 16, 2025] — Midwest Foods, Chicago’s locally, family, and women-owned wholesale produce distributor, has joined the U.S. Food Waste Pact (Pact), a joint initiative led by nonprofits ReFED and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to reduce food waste throughout the supply chain. Midwest Foods is the first distributor in its region—and only the second in the nation—to join 25 other food businesses and organizations participating in the collaborative food-waste reduction effort guided by the “Target, Measure, Act” framework.
According to ReFED, 31% of the food supply goes unsold or uneaten in the United States each year, and the majority of that surplus food is sent to waste destinations like landfills, incinerators, and sewer systems. Wasted food generates 10% of the United States’ methane emissions, and it accounts for 16% of freshwater use and 16% of land use. While food producers and businesses generate 21.5 million tons of surplus food annually—equating to $108 billion in lost revenue—momentum to address waste is building, with 20% of the top 65 food businesses across foodservice, retail, and manufacturing having specific, time-bound food waste reduction targets.
"We’re excited to join the U.S. Food Waste Pact," said Alex Frantz, Director of Local Sustainability at Midwest Foods. “Reducing food loss and waste requires commitment at every step of the supply chain. As a trusted partner of both growers and chefs, we have the opportunity—and responsibility—to drive impact from farm to kitchen. Respecting the high-quality food our growers produce and the resources, effort, and expertise that goes into every harvest, we focus on demand-driven buying and strict cold chain management to maintain quality and food safety while preventing waste. As part of our local mission, we work closely with local farmers to shorten the time from field to plate and explore imperfect produce sales channels for beginning farmers. When surplus does occur, we focus on donation to food recovery networks in our local community to ensure nutritious food gets to people, not landfills.
"Setting our busy chef partners up for success, alongside high-quality whole produce that performs on the plate and holds up in the cooler, we offer pre-cut produce that maximizes yield and reduces prep waste in their kitchens. Following prevention and reduction measures, our warehouse operations are designed to efficiently sort and sustainably manage unavoidable organic waste, redirecting it from landfill to compost and anaerobic digestion. In 2024, we diverted over 3400 tons of organic waste—most of it food scraps kept out of chef's kitchens—which often lack composting infrastructure and would otherwise end up in landfill. This not only reduces environmental impact but lowers waste-related costs for our foodservice partners."
Certified at the Platinum level by Green Business Benchmark and an active member of the Chicago Sustainability Task Force and International Fresh Produce Association’s Sustainability Council, Midwest Foods is committed to being held accountable to its goals and inspired in community with other sustainability leaders. Midwest Foods reports that aligning food waste prevention and responsible organic waste management with its solution-driven sales strategy has produced measurable results—from GHG emission reduction and improved operational efficiencies, to cost savings and meaningful community impact—reinforcing a clear business case for waste reduction across the produce supply chain.
"We’re proud to join many of our clients in the U.S. Food Waste Pact and contribute to a more coordinated, system-wide impact on food waste prevention and reduction,” said Erin Fitzgerald, President and Owner of Midwest Foods. "Being part of the Pact allows us to scale our efforts, learn from others, and collaborate across sectors to share best practices that move the industry forward."
"It’s great to have Midwest Foods at the table,” said Jackie Suggitt, vice president of business initiatives," community engagement at ReFED. “Their thoughtful efforts around aligning supply chain partners to drive immediate and long-term impact brings a unique perspective to the conversation, and we’re excited to see them collaborate with their peer organizations both within distribution and among other sectors.”
Midwest Foods is the twenty-sixth business to join the U.S. Food Waste Pact. Other signatories are retailers Ahold Delhaize USA, ALDI US, Amazon Fresh, Kroger, Raley’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, Walmart Inc., and Whole Foods Market; manufacturers Bob’s Red Mill, Del Monte Fresh Produce Company, and Lamb Weston, Inc.; coalition signatories Health Care Without Harm and R&DE Stanford Food Institute; trade associations FMI—The Food Industry Association and Western Growers Association; foodservice signatories Aramark, Compass Group USA, ISS Guckenheimer, and Sodexo USA; quick-service restaurants Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, and Wawa; hospitality signatory Hilton; and distributor Organically Grown Company.
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About the U.S. Food Waste Pact
The U.S. Food Waste Pact is a national voluntary agreement that uses the “Target, Measure, Act” framework to reduce food waste across the supply chain. The Pact works with waste-generating food businesses to collect and analyze data about food waste in their operations, share best practices through precompetitive working groups, and pilot and scale solutions through intervention projects. The Pact is an initiative between nonprofits ReFED and the World Wildlife Fund. For more information about the U.S. Food Waste Pact, visit http://usfoodwastepact.org/.
About Midwest Foods
Midwest Foods is Chicago’s WBENC-certified, women-, locally-, and family-owned food distributor, proudly serving chefs and culinary professionals across Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. With a strong focus on community, service, and commitment, Midwest Foods provides fresh, sustainable solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the foodservice industry.
The company is dedicated to supporting underrepresented local-, diverse-, and family-owned businesses, while also sourcing beyond the region when needed to ensure consistency, quality, and availability year-round. Midwest Foods offers chef-driven convenience items and labor-saving ingredients, backed by more than 150,000 square feet of facility space in Chicago and Kenosha. Its SQF-certified processing rooms and full prep kitchen ensure food safety, consistency, and efficiency from farm to plate. Learn more at midwestfoods.com and follow Midwest Foods on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Media Contacts:
Nia D’Emilio, ReFED
Susan McCarthy, WWF