Sustainability in produce is no longer a “nice to have.” It is quickly becoming a baseline expectation across foodservice, retail, and institutional procurement.
In the January 2026 issue of Produce Business, Midwest Foods’ Alex Frantz outlines how food waste reduction, responsible sourcing, and data-driven transparency are shaping the next era of wholesale produce, and why distributors play a critical role in turning sustainability from intention into action.
Why Sustainability Is Becoming a Business Requirement
For years, sustainability efforts in produce were often deprioritized when margins tightened or markets fluctuated. Today, expectations are changing.
Operators, institutions, and procurement teams are increasingly asking suppliers to demonstrate progress on:
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Food waste reduction and landfill diversion
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Packaging materials and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
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Responsible sourcing and labor practices
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Emissions reporting and supply-chain transparency
At the same time, climate volatility and evolving regulations are creating real operational risk across the produce supply chain. Together, these pressures are reinforcing the business case for sustainability as a core operational priority.
The Distributor’s Role in Food Waste Reduction
Wholesale distributors sit at a critical point in the supply chain where loss prevention can have an outsized impact.
At Midwest Foods, sustainability efforts prioritize waste prevention first, following the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale. This includes:
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Inventory precision and demand forecasting
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Improved handling and operational discipline
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Systems designed to prevent surplus before it occurs
When surplus is unavoidable, Midwest Foods prioritizes feeding people. Through partnerships with organizations such as the Chicago Food Sovereignty Coalition, food is redirected to community members rather than landfills.
In 2024, Midwest Foods diverted 71% of the waste generated at its facilities through recycling, composting, donations, and anaerobic digestion — keeping 3,569 tons of material out of landfill.
When Sustainability and Efficiency Work Together
The most effective sustainability initiatives are those that also improve efficiency.
Midwest Foods’ Kenosha facility provides a clear example. By creating a dedicated waste stream for scraps generated during pre-cut production, the company reduced costs, improved worker safety, and diverted unavoidable waste from landfill.
Similarly, Midwest Foods’ Edible Cuts pre-cut program helps chef partners:
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Reduce prep waste
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Increase yield
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Manage labor and time more efficiently
These benefits are especially meaningful for operations without composting infrastructure, where food waste often becomes a hidden cost.
Packaging, Sourcing, and Supply-Chain Transparency
Sustainable packaging innovation has become another area of focus. Midwest Foods has transitioned the majority of break items to biodegradable mesh designed to decompose under landfill conditions, while continuing to evaluate packaging solutions that balance food safety, shelf life, plastic reduction, and cost.
Responsible sourcing remains foundational. By investing in grower relationships and curating seasonal, local, organic, and regenerative options, Midwest Foods helps simplify procurement for chefs while supporting regional food economies and long-term supply-chain resilience.
Sustainability as the New Baseline
Sustainability requirements now appear in RFPs as routinely as food safety standards. Many clients expect distributors to provide credible, verifiable data related to:
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Waste diversion and reduction
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Packaging materials
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Responsible sourcing
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Social responsibility and labor practices
As the produce industry evolves, sustainability is increasingly defined by proof, not promises.
As highlighted in Produce Business, sustainability strengthens supply-chain resilience, reduces long-term risk, and prepares the industry for regulatory and environmental realities already reshaping global markets.
This recap was prepared by Midwest Foods’ editorial team. The original article in Produce Business was written by Midwest Foods’ Director of Local & Sustainability Alex Frantz.
Alex Frantz
Director of Local & Sustainability, Midwest Foods
Leads Midwest Foods’ local sourcing and sustainability programs, connecting farms with chefs and culinary leaders in foodservice to advance a values-driven food system. She oversees sustainability strategy, food waste reduction, supply chain transparency, and corporate social responsibility initiatives, and serves in leadership roles with Green City Market and multiple regional and national sustainability councils.
