ImpactAlpha, Aug. 12 – Companies and governments are recognizing the cost savings of curbing food waste, as well as the social and climate benefits. That’s creating an opportunity for investors, which are plowing increasing amounts of capital into food waste deals.
Average private investment deal size has grown from less than $5 million in the early 2010s to roughly $17 million in 2021, according to the food waste nonprofit ReFED.
This week, San Francisco-based Afresh raked in $115 million to help grocers reduce food waste by managing fresh food inventory and sales.
The food waste space has “benefited greatly from climate funders making the connection between food waste reduction and climate change mitigation,” ReFED’s Alejandro Enamorado wrote in ImpactAlpha.
Follow the money
In June, Bogota-based RobinFood raised $32 million to expand food access and cut waste. Finland’s Relex Solutions in February hauled in $568 million to help grocers meet consumer demand more efficiently.
Among funds, Green Generation Fund raised €100 million this week to back food and green-tech ventures, and in May, ReFED and Closed Loop Partners launched a set of funds to catalyze capital for more food waste solutions.
Take a spin through all of ImpactAlpha’s food waste coverage.
