WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Two Good® Yogurt has teamed up with James Beard Award-winning Chef Marcus Samuelsson and Full Harvest this Earth Week to kick off a movement that highlights the critical role that food waste plays in our collective relationship with the climate and our stewardship of the planet. The partnership invites restaurants across the country to use rescued produce in their kitchens – a response to the reality that food waste is one of the single greatest contributors to climate change.
In the United States, 35% of the 229 million tons of available food went unsold or uneaten in 20191. By supplying restaurants with produce that would have otherwise been wasted and turning them into award-winning dishes, the campaign aims to help restaurants to make sustainable choices and normalize the consumption of otherwise wasted food at large.
Spearheading the campaign is Chef Marcus Samuelsson, who will use rescued produce from Full Harvest at his New York City restaurant, Red Rooster Harlem, during Earth Week.
“Food waste directly impacts people and our planet, which is why as chefs we can be a vital part of finding solutions to eliminate it,” said Chef Marcus Samuelsson. “I’m proud to be working with Two Good and Full Harvest to bring rescued produce into my kitchen so that we can take this step towards driving awareness of one way restaurants can make our supply chain more sustainable. I encourage my friends and fellow chefs to join me in using rescued produce this month, and beyond, so that together we can make an impact on the startling amount of food that is wasted in the U.S.”
The initiative further supports Two Good brand team’s One Cup, Less Hunger campaign, which launched last year in partnership with City Harvest and We Don’t Waste. The Two Good brand team donates two cents for every 5.3oz of Two Good lowfat yogurt purchased by consumers to these organizations which in turn provides an equal amount of food to people in need.
“As part of the B Corp community, we believe it’s important for brands to take actionable steps and to use their voice and efforts as a force for good, which for us at Two Good means helping combat the massive issue that is food waste,” shared Surbhi Martin, Vice President, Greek Yogurt & Functional Nutrition, Danone North America. “The unfortunate reality is that food waste has far reaching consequences, particularly with its impact on our climate. If we collectively come together and reframe how we think about wasted food, we will not only make our systems more sustainable, but we can help address the food insecurity issue that has been exacerbated during the pandemic. Our hope is to inspire collective action through partnering with Chef Marcus Samuelsson and Full Harvest, and to provide one more avenue for our communities to stand up for solutions to food waste.”
Two Good and Chef Marcus are inviting restaurants nationwide to join the movement by emailing wastelessfeedmore@twogoodyogurt.com in hopes that chefs will shift existing perceptions about food waste and inspire commitments to using rescued produce in the future.
“Our mission is to solve the massive food waste problem, so there is nothing more exciting for us than to encourage restaurants to use rescued food in their kitchens,” shared Christine Moseley, Founder and CEO of Full Harvest. “It will take a movement of individuals, restaurants and brands to begin curbing food waste in the fight against climate change.”
Two Good Yogurt is part of Danone North America, a Certified B Corporation. This announcement comes on the heels of Two Good and Full Harvest launching Two Good® Good Save™ lowfat yogurt, a product line that is setting the standard for the emerging rescued foods market as the first dairy product to utilize Verified Rescued Produce™. What’s more, Two Good launched the industry’s first one-for-one model in partnership with food rescue organizations We Don’t Waste and City Harvest in 2020 with its One Cup, Less Hunger program. For more information about Two Good, please visit http://goodyogurt.com.
About Danone North AmericaDanone North America is a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. As a Certified B Corporation®, Danone North America is committed to the creation of both economic and social value, while nurturing natural ecosystems through sustainable agriculture. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Happy Family® Organics, Honest to Goodness™, Horizon® Organic, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free, STōK™, Two Good®, Vega®, Wallaby® Organic and YoCrunch®. With more than 6,000 employees and 14 production locations across the U.S. and Canada, Danone North America’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. For more information, visit www.danonenorthamerica.com. For more information on Danone North America’s B Corp™ status, visit: https://bcorporation.net/directory/danone-north-america.
About Full Harvest
Full Harvest is solving the massive $2.5 billion food waste problem with technology and innovation services. The company runs the only B2B online marketplace for imperfect and surplus produce, connecting farmers to food and beverage manufacturers. The company’s Innovation Services, through its Verified Rescued Produce™ program, helps food and beverage brands develop new CPG products and sustainable supply chains that reduce food waste, CO2 emissions, and water use, while also bringing farmers additional revenues. A win-win-win for farmers, food companies, and the planet. Full Harvest is backed by a group of top investors, including Spark Capital and Cultivian. Learn more at http://fullharvest.com.
About Chef Marcus Samuelsson
Marcus Samuelsson is the acclaimed chef behind many restaurants worldwide, including Red Rooster Harlem, MARCUS Montreal, Marcus B&P and Red Rooster Overtown in Miami. He has won multiple James Beard Foundation awards for his work as a chef and as host of No Passport Required on PBS. A familiar face on many television programs including Food Network’s popular franchise Chopped, Samuelsson has been crowned champion of Top Chef Masters and Chopped All Stars, and was the guest chef for President Obama’s first state dinner. A committed philanthropist, Samuelsson is co-chair of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which focuses on underserved youth. Author of several cookbooks as well as his New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef, Samuelsson also co-produces the annual Harlem EatUp! festival, which has celebrated the food, art, and culture of Harlem for the past six years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Samuelsson converted his restaurants Red Rooster Harlem, Marcus B&P in Newark, and Red Rooster Overtown in Miami into community kitchens in partnership with World Central Kitchen, serving over 225,000 meals to those in need. His newest cookbook, The Rise, is out now. Follow Samuelsson on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @MarcusCooks.
| 1 ReFED February 2021: Roadmap to 2030: Reducing U.S. Food Waste by 50% and the ReFED Insights Engine |
