FOOD WASTE

IN
AMERICA
 THE
WASTEBUSTERS

Jamie Curran, David Hoysan, Annisa Prasetyanto

Daniel Ham, Advait Tinaikar, Melissa Powel
 THE
ADVISORS

Peter Boatwright Matt Rogers Swati Mylavarapu

Co-Director of CMU
Founder & Chief Product Partner @ Kleiner Perkins
Integrated Innovation
Officer at Nest Caufield & Byers
Institute
Opportunity Research Insights Value Constraints
 OUR CHALLENGE

Create a scalable, impactful and user focused solution

that addresses the issue of food waste in the U.S.
43% of food waste in U.S.
is caused by consumers.
Seafood and produce being the biggest culprits.

Sources: www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/wasted-food-IP.pdf
www.refed.com/?sort=economic-value-per-ton
How do we reduce consumer food waste in the home?

Shop Cook Eat

How and why are consumers
wasting so much food?
Opportunity Research Insights Value Constraints
Current Methods for
Reducing Food Waste
 Cost vs. Convenience Positioning Map

Convenient

High Cost
Low Cost

Inconvenient
 Cost vs. Convenience Positioning Map

Convenient

High Cost
Low Cost

Inconvenient
 Cost vs. Convenience Positioning Map

Convenient

Market Saturation

High Cost
Low Cost

Inconvenient
 Effectiveness vs. Convenience Positioning Map

Convenient
Ineffective

Effective
Inconvenient
 Effectiveness vs. Convenience Positioning Map

Convenient
Ineffective

Effective
Inconvenient
 Effectiveness vs. Convenience Positioning Map

Convenient

Opportunity area
Ineffective

Effective
Inconvenient
 Will people admit to wasting?
Why does food get wasted?
Who wastes the most?

Initial Busy Mom

Interviews Budgeter
Busy Single
Crunchy Granola
Foodie

23 people in 6 grocery stores

 Usually I waste a lot because I live
by myself and I don't want to eat the
same thing everyday.
Of this? Maybe 25% will go to waste
- Patrice
My kids are very picky about the
texture of fruit, and you can only
make so many smoothies
- Chris
Ill eat leftovers, but sometimes I try
to be nice and leave them for my
wife, but then she doesnt eat them.
- Ben
 Key Learnings

Budget restricted waste less

Environmentally aware waste less
Bigger household is more complicated
Focus > Busy Singles and Families

21
 More research needed!

22
Contextual Interviews

4 in home interviews

Look into fridges & pantries

Shopping & preparing food

More remote & on the fly

Families, couples, singles

These sweet potatoes are
from Thanksgiving!
- Laura
 I shop at Costco because its
convenient and cost effective.
When I buy a bag of oranges,
sometimes I'll end up throwing
a third of them away
- Trisha
If I have a lot of leftovers in the
fridge and if something starts to
smell, Ill just toss everything
- Lynn
 My little kids teach me a lot. We
intermittently got into composting &
home gardening because of them.
- Bhushan
Opportunity Research Insights Value Constraints
Personas
 Single Sam

Millennial, no family

Busy lifestyle, always on the go

Convenience is King

Only cooks for himself

Tosses groceries in fridge and forgets

Lack of routine for food

 Mary the Busy Mom

Influenced by familys preferences

Shops in bulk

Budget aware but not restricted

Routine is King

Cooks most nights

Health & safety of family is top priority

 Single Sam Mary the Mom

Less time Less time

Wants convenience Wants convenience
Manages own schedule Manages many schedules
Cant finish food himself Prioritises familys health
Wants to pass on good values
Manages many preferences
Cooks more often
Has to, doesnt want to, waste
 Single Sam Mary the Mom

Less time Less time

Wants convenience Wants convenience
Manages own schedule Manages many schedules
Cant finish quantities Prioritises familys health
of food himself
Wants to pass on good values
Manages many preferences
Cooks more often
Has to, doesnt want to, waste
 Marys Journey

Planning Shopping Storing

No List Buys in bulk Fills Fridge

Kids Likes Fills cart (even 2!)
Health & Balance Non-routine ingredients Hidden food
Contamination
 Marys Journey

Preparing Cooking

Multiple meals Gets busy, change in routine

Cooks in bulk, portion uncertainty Diverse tastes
Only following recipe Experiments
New meal before using leftovers Occasions & visitors
 Marys Journey

Eating Leftovers Wasting

Food on plate Not enough left Expiration Dates

Picky eaters Miscommunication Smell, mold
Luxurious Lost in fridge Health & safety
experience
 Delivery
/Restaurant

Visitors Schools

Primary
Shopper/Cook Kids
Partner
Influences

Grocer Internet
Trends

Kitchen
Eqpt
 Multi-person homes

Buying in bulk

Hidden food
Key Insights
Routine disrupted

Small consequences mean no motivation

Health & safety are the highest priority

Opportunity Research Insights Value Constraints
 What does Mary value that
might motivate her?

Emotion
Interaction
Aesthetics
Motivation Identity
Impact
Performance
Quality
Current State
Goal State

Game Changing Values

...will change the way people manage food waste
 On Trend

Social Impact

Environmental Impact

Security

Empowerment
Opportunity Research Insights Value Constraints
 The Solution Must:

Accommodate daily routine

Prevent miscommunication

Provide food security

Must
Ensure health and safety

Appeal to a mass market

Positive environmental impact

Minimize chance of odor

Intuitive to use
 The Solution Should:

Spoilage education

Minimal routine disruption

Appropriate for homes

Should
Scalable

Viable
 The Solution Could:

Labeling Education

Inventory Awareness

Purchasing Quantities
Could
 Our pledge

To find a convenient and effective solution that

prevents home food waste while enriching lives

47
 The Wastebusters
Stop food waste before it starts

Thank You

cmuwastebusters.weebly.com