Transforming Food Waste: Annabelle Souchon Leads the Charge as New Co-Chair of The Consumer Goods Forum’s Coalition

Annabelle Souchon, the new Co-Chair of The Consumer Goods Forum’s Food Waste Coalition, is dedicated to reducing food waste. In her role at Bel Group, she has helped put sustainability at the heart of their strategy. Annabelle discusses the main challenges in the fight against food waste and how teamwork across the entire industry can make a real difference. She shares insights on innovative product design, consumer engagement, and the Coalition’s goals for 2025, envisioning a future where food waste is not a common practice.

Congratulations on your new role! Why did you want to be a leader in this area, and what perspective do you offer?

Thanks! Food waste is close to my heart. At Bel Group, we have a rich history of tackling food waste, starting with our single-serving portions of The Laughing Cow®. As Co-Chair, I’m excited to share our passion and experience. Our initiative, the 10x20x30 campaign, aims to cut food waste by half by 2030. I believe we can inspire collaboration and innovation to create a future where food waste isn’t accepted.

Bel Group is known for its sustainability efforts. Can you highlight any initiatives that have had a big impact on food waste reduction?

At Bel Group, we aim to provide healthier food while minimizing waste. Our portion control approach not only helps with nutrition but also reduces waste, aligning with our climate goals. Food waste contributes to 4% of our carbon footprint, so addressing it is crucial.

One of our key initiatives is turning by-products into new recipes. For instance, we use leftover cream from cheese production in our Kiri products. Additionally, we incorporate Babybel with imperfections into our Laughing Cow recipes. This maximizes our raw material use. Our single-serving sizes help consumers better manage their portions and reduce leftovers. Campaigns like #TooGoodToWaste educate consumers about food waste, and partnerships like “Look, Smell, Taste” with Too Good To Go promote responsible consumption.

What do you see as the main challenges in addressing food waste, and how can the Coalition help?

A key challenge is the lack of coordination across the entire supply chain. This results in inefficiencies and lost opportunities. Much of food waste’s carbon impact occurs in early stages like raw material production. At Bel Group, we source milk locally and utilize surplus effectively, minimizing resource waste. Education is also vital, as households contribute significantly to food waste, often due to misunderstanding expiration dates. The Coalition can unite stakeholders to share best practices and drive systemic change.

How can consumer engagement reduce food waste, and what will you bring from your previous experiences?

Consumer behavior plays a big part in reducing food waste. Households account for about a third of food loss. Helping families develop sustainable habits can lead to meaningful change. During my time with the consumer engagement working group, I saw how effective campaigns like #TooGoodToWaste can be. At Bel, we reached six brands in 15 countries, using brand influence to spread the message. I’ll prioritize consumer engagement in my new role, looking for fresh ways to encourage sustainable actions.

What are your main goals for the Coalition in 2025?

My top priority is boosting the Coalition’s influence by fostering collaboration across the supply chain. In 2025, I aim to promote food waste reporting to spot areas for improvement and support consumer education campaigns. Partnerships are crucial for redistributing surplus food and changing consumer habits. We will also push for aggressive climate strategies aligned with our goals of halving food waste and significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

What would success look like for the Coalition, and how can we draw more organizations into the fight against food waste?

Success means creating a food system that minimizes waste. For the Coalition, this includes measurable achievements, like cutting food waste by half by 2030 and positively impacting global greenhouse gas emissions. To motivate more organizations to join us, we need to share success stories. Highlighting impactful partnerships, like our collaboration with Too Good To Go, can illustrate the advantages of working together in this important effort.

For more information on how CGF’s Food Waste Coalition is bringing businesses together to tackle food loss and waste, visit www.tcgffoodwaste.com.