Midwest Foods

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Midwest Foods

Distributor

Midwest Foods is a women-owned fresh produce distributor working at the center of the supply chain to reduce food loss and waste from farm to kitchen. Acting as a connector between growers and foodservice operators, Midwest Foods is committed to advancing practical, scalable solutions that preserve resources, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen community impact. Midwest Foods has set a goal to meaningfully reduce food waste across their operations, with a focus on both prevention and responsible management of organic material.

Food Waste Reduction Strategies

  • Demand-Driven Buying: They align purchasing with real-time demand to reduce overordering, protect quality, and prevent surplus from the start.

  • Cold Chain & Quality Management: Rigorous cold chain protocols and high-quality standards help extend shelf life and reduce spoilage throughout their operations.

  • Pre-Cut Produce Program: Their premium pre-cut offerings help chef partners reduce prep waste, increase yield, and manage time and labor more efficiently—especially in kitchens without compost infrastructure.

  • Local Sourcing & Food Donation: They work with local farmers to shorten the time from field to plate and donate surplus product to community food recovery partners, ensuring fresh food feeds people, not landfills.

  • Sustainable Waste Diversion: In 2024, they diverted over 3,400 tons of organic waste from landfill—most of it food scraps—by directing unavoidable waste to composting and anaerobic digestion.