In alignment with the Destination Management Plan Travel to a Thriving Future, Destination Queenstown (DQ) & Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) are supporting the food and beverage (F&B) sector with minimising waste in both business operations and the supply chain.
FEED PEOPLE NOT LANDFILL
The food and beverage (F&B) sector is central to the visitor experience in Queenstown, Wānaka and surrounding areas. Every meal served is connected to the land, water, people and resources that make our region special. When food and packaging are wasted, valuable resources are lost, creating unnecessary costs for businesses and impacts on our environment and community.
For businesses, waste is also a growing cost. Disposal and recycling fees continue to rise, and food in the bin is essentially lost revenue. Not to mention the resources used to produce, package and transport the goods, only to take it away again as waste. Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) Waste Management and Minimisation plan found that 33% of kerbside red rubbish bins are full with food scraps that can be completely avoided.
F&B PROCUREMENT BUSINESS TOOLKIT
The resources below are designed to support F&B businesses to reduce waste at the source - from simple swaps to circular initiatives, backed by the business case for shifting to a circular economy. This means using products that are made to be used over and over again, as opposed to the linear process of make, use, dispose to landfill.
The transition to a circular economy won't happen overnight, but it starts with recognising that waste is not inevitable - it is a design challenge. By working together to rethink purchasing, strengthen supplier partnerships and redesign how products move through our businesses, we can create a visitor economy that not only reduces harm, but actively contributes to the long-term health and resilience of our region.
These resources are intended as general guidance. Businesses should ensure any changes align with their own food safety plans and regulatory obligations.
There is a strong business case for reducing waste at the source, and implementing circular solutions. With benefits ranging from cost savings and operational efficiencies to enhanced customer and stakeholder expectations.
Cardrona’s waste-free journey began in 2013 when they removed plastic wrap from pies. What seemed like a small step saved more than 24,000 plastic packets that year. It also proved an important point: reducing waste could make operations easier.
DIVERT FOOD WASTE FROM LANDFILL
By the time food reaches your bin, it has already consumed valuable resources - from the land, water and energy used to produce it, to the transport, storage and labour required to get it to your business. When food is wasted, so too is the value invested along the way.
Globally one-third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted. In New Zealand alone, cafes, restaurants and supermarkets produce 50,000 tonnes of food waste per year. Over 60% of this is completely avoidable. The best outcome is to prevent food waste in the first place, followed by redistributing surplus food where possible. When those options have been exhausted, the next step is to keep food scraps out of landfill by returning them to productive use through composting or commercial food waste collection services.
Don’t let surplus food go to waste
Engage with food rescue organisations like Kiwi Harvest if you have surplus in-date ingredients or cabinet food. Even if it has been prepared for an event or buffet but has not been sent out of the kitchen, it can be rescued. In 2025, they rescued 187 tonnes of excess food which was delivered to local charities, foodbanks, and community groups supporting people in need. Operating in Queenstown and Wānaka, Kiwiharvest can do onsite collections. Find out more about the food accepted here.
Waste to Wilderness
Waste to Wilderness collects organic waste from businesses around Queenstown, Arrowtown and Gibbston Valley and transforms it into compost. 1,200 tonnes of organics are converted to compost each year - this has the same impact as removing 1,200 fossil fuel vehicles from our local roads. Annually this compost is enough to supply over 1,000 family vegetable gardens. The cost of using Waste to Wilderness is similar to landfill costs, discover the how and why of getting involved with Michael Sly and his team.
Grow Wānaka
Grow Wānaka was established in 2020 by passionate like-minded locals. Operating on a circular model – Grow Wānaka accept food waste and converting it into biologically active compost which is used to grow organic produce in the garden. This is then shared among the volunteer team with weekly surplus distributed to the local Food Bank and Upper Clutha Produce Pantries. Get involved here.
Zero Waste Glenorchy
Drop off food scraps to the Zero Waste Glenorchy site, where it is processed into nutrient dense compost that participating businesses and households are able to receive the compost back for garden use. Find out more here.
Onsite Composting
Different business sizes will require different food waste strategies. The good news is there are many options available out there to manage food waste onsite.
Composting: Dr compost has a wide range of resources to get you started, and keep you going with your compost. Check out the range of methods and support here.
Bokashi bin: Pop food scraps in a QLDC subsidised bokashi bin that lives in your kitchen and does not produce smells. Once it’s full, drain the nutrient rich bokashi juice (find out how use it here) and pop the food waste into either an onsite compost or have a team member take it home to their own compost.
Worm farm: For larger amounts consider a worm farm to break the food waste down more rapidly, to fill it over and over again. QLDC subsidised worms for purchase and Dr compost has tips to keep them happy.
Large-Scale Collaborative Composting
If your business produces large volumes of organic waste and you have the space, consider investing in machinery to house and speed up the breakdown process. An example is the Headwaters Eco Lodge Earth Flow in-vessel composting system and provides opportunity for the Glenorchy community to compost their organic waste. Research the equipment that is going to best suit your business need and talk to your neighbouring businesses to explore collaborating to make the investment more viable. There may be funding opportunities for collaborate solutions.
COLLECTIVE ACTION
As set out in the Destination Management Plan,Travel to a Thriving Future; Destination Queenstown (DQ) & Lake Wanaka Tourism (LWT) are working with businesses throughout the supply chain to support opportunities that offer mutual benefits to the suppliers and the businesses involved.
At this stage in the project, there are ongoing trials of circular economy initiatives with suppliers that can be scaled for other businesses to adopt. If you are interested in receiving updates on how this project is tracking, please indicate in the form below.
Please also use the form below to keep in touch! Procurement in the F&B sector is part of an ongoing learning process where guidance needs to remain relevant, practical, and grounded in real operational experience. If there are any initiatives that your business is doing, keep us updated with what works well in practice, what gaps exist and barriers you are facing. When businesses consistently demand better solutions, suppliers are more likely to invest in and deliver them at scale.
