Scaling Food Waste Solutions Through Data, Technology and Cross-Sector Collaboration
Cynthia Curry
Senior Director, Cleantech Ecosystem Expansion, Metro Atlanta Chamber
Cynthia Curry is Senior Director of Cleantech Ecosystem Expansion at Metro Atlanta Chamber, driving job creation and investment across Metro Atlanta. She connects business, government, civic and educational leaders to advance sustainable communities and attract Cleantech companies to the region.
Cynthia also launched the ATL Cleantech Coalition and serves on multiple advisory boards, including Georgia Tech’s Strategic Energy Institute.
J.R. Reed is the Founder & Principal Consultant at Arrow Growth Consulting, working with clients developing strategy around product innovation, digital transformation and business creation de-risking transformation.
Previously, he held leadership roles in a variety of consulting firms, including Senior Director of Global Financial Services at Launch Consulting Group, and work with Republic National Distributing Company and Deloitte.
Chip Starns is the Co-Founder and Executive Vice President at Reveam, Inc., where he also serves as Chief Regulatory Officer. With a background in nuclear and radiological engineering, he has extensive experience in developing and operating radiation-based systems.
Previously, Chip held executive roles at ScanTech Sciences and the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards. His career also includes experience in nuclear operations with the U.S. Navy and Southern Company.
Sergio Grullón is the CEO of Kultif, a technology disrupting the traditional cocoa industry by developing a high capacity, high quality, data driven, automated drying process.
Sergio is also Managing Partner at ARA Trading Company and a Georgia Tech Alumni with over 10 years of experience in the cocoa industry.
In this forward-looking conversation on food system innovation, leaders from startups, consulting firms and regional economic development organizations explored how data, technology and collaboration can reduce waste and improve sustainability across the supply chain. Panelists Panelists featuring innovators and executives from Reveam, Racoon Eyes, Arrow Growth Consulting, Kultif and the Metro Atlanta Chamber shared insights on behavior change in schools, shelf life extension technologies and the infrastructure challenges facing food waste solutions. Their discussion revealed how real-time data, scalable interventions and cross-sector partnerships can work together to create a more resilient, efficient and equitable food ecosystem.
Real-Time Data and Behavior Change in Food Systems
The speaker highlighted how sensor-based systems are transforming institutional food environments by providing real-time insights into waste. In cafeterias at universities and elementary schools, automated waste tracking not only helps kitchen staff reduce overproduction but also engages students through visual and interactive feedback. In one school alone, the reduction of more than 100 unopened milk cartons per day showed how early intervention can drive meaningful change. The speaker emphasized that food waste behaviors are learned young and often persist into adulthood, making K-12 engagement essential for long-term progress. However, these behavior-based strategies are only part of the solution. Without supporting infrastructure like composting systems, many schools still send all waste to landfills, highlighting a persistent gap between awareness and action.
Technological Interventions That Extend Shelf Life and Reduce Resource Waste
Several innovations focused on extending food shelf life and reducing resource use across the supply chain. One company’s Electronic Cold-Pasteurization (ECP) technology uses electricity rather than heat to sterilize food, offering safe, chemical-free shelf life extension for perishable goods like papayas and strawberries. The method supports food safety and spoilage reduction without affecting quality and is already being adopted by retailers, military operations and logistics providers. Another innovation addressed the environmental damage of solar drying practices in the Global South. By using agricultural byproducts like coffee husks to fuel indirect heat dehydration, this approach helps smallholder farmers preserve crops while protecting local forests. A rinse well appliance also showed how water reuse systems in commercial kitchens can cut water consumption by over 80 percent, saving millions of gallons annually while reducing energy use and chemical waste. These technologies not only offer environmental benefits but also help businesses meet evolving regulatory standards and lower operational costs.
Structural Barriers and Economic Realities Shape Scalability
The speaker made clear that infrastructure limitations and economic constraints must be addressed for food waste solutions to scale. While university campuses may afford composting programs, most public schools lack funding and logistical support to implement them. Without adequate waste sorting systems and contamination controls, compostables often end up in landfills. Community-based models like student-led efforts in Decatur show promise but cannot fill the broader infrastructure gap without investment. Globally, the financial viability of food preservation technologies is essential for uptake. In the Global South, where government support is inconsistent or lacking, market-driven tools that improve farmers’ incomes and reduce post-harvest losses are more likely to succeed. The speaker stressed that sustainability must align with profitability to be adopted by those facing economic and climate pressures.
Collaboration Drives Innovation Across the Food System
A key takeaway from the session was the role of cross-sector collaboration in accelerating innovation. Several speakers identified new applications for their technologies during the panel itself, such as adapting electron pasteurization for toxin removal in coffee or exploring food waste as a source for sustainable aviation fuel. These moments revealed how real-time dialogue can generate fresh ideas and spark new partnerships. The summit served not just as a platform for presenting solutions but as a live testing ground for integrated thinking. The ability to connect tools across the supply chain—linking data, energy, agriculture and logistics—was framed as essential to amplifying collective impact. The speaker concluded that building a resilient food system will require ongoing collaboration that bridges sectors, geographies and business models.
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