Charities and brands tap AI solution built on Google Cloud for food surplus redistribution push

Businesses and food charities have teamed up to pilot what is pitched as a first of a kind AI solution to visualise food waste, reduce it and redistribute unavoidable surplus to people - the equivalent of 499,863 meals. This has supported an estimated 94,133 people across hundreds of charities and organisations.

In 2021, UK food manufacturers generated just under 2.1 million tonnes of food waste and surplus. While manufacturers seek greater visibility to pinpoint these losses, redistribution organisations increasingly rely on this for high quality food surplus.

Over the last 16 months, a nine partner consortium has piloted Zest's AI led solutions, built on Google Cloud that addressed this challenge. The project was funded through a £1.9 million match funded BridgeAI grant from Innovate UK. The scope, feasibility and benefits of these solutions were tested by Bristol Superlight, Company Shop Group, FareShare, FuturePlus, Howard Tenens, Nestlé UK&I, Sustainable Ventures and Zest.

According to those involved, the pilot demonstrated the power of AI in connecting siloed data points using a Nestlé manufacturing line to map where exactly food waste and surplus is generated in real-time, and identifying actions to reduce and redistribute it.

Early comparisons indicate potential for AI to improve speed, accuracy, consistency and predictability of data analysis versus manual waste assessment. During the project, Zest trialled its solutions with a number of other food manufacturers. In one trial, the AI led process halved the speed of the manual process, and quadrupled the amount of food surplus identified and redistributed.

By applying AI optimised algorithms, Zest’s redistribution platform matched unavoidable edible surplus from four Nestlé sites with the real-time demand and capacity of Company Shop Group and FareShare. Logistics partner Howard Tenens tracked and fulfilled these surplus deliveries, providing the physical infrastructure to move food safely from Nestlé sites to FareShare's network. 

Andrew Wordsworth, Founder and CEO,  Sustainable Ventures, says: “The collaboration between startups, corporates and charities in this project consortium demonstrated how Sustainable Ventures can de-risk piloting climate tech innovation in live business environments.”

“Collaborative technology development can only lead to better outcomes, especially in relation to artificial intelligence, where pilots like this help to bring its use case to life. Collaborative technology development is also an opportunity to understand how innovative solutions can be tailored to suit sector or organisational needs.“

Claire Antoniou, Head of End to End Transformation, Nestlé UK & Ireland, says: “It’s been fantastic to be part of this pilot project which has helped us turn data into action, reduce food waste while strengthening our ability to redistribute surplus food to where it’s needed most. This exciting cross-industry initiative could go on to benefit a whole industry.” 

Dini McGrath, Founder and CEO at Zest, comments: "We are realists; while some surplus in manufacturing is inevitable, leaving it unmanaged is a choice the industry can no longer afford to make. We were fortunate to find a partner in Nestlé who shares our vision for a more resilient food system, and with the support of the FDF and its members, we have de-risked a new-to-market solution that is already delivering results.”

“By acting as an ‘AI factory intelligence layer,’ Zest unifies siloed data to help manufacturers make better decisions in real-time. This £1.9 million BridgeAI project proves that eradicating waste is no longer just 'the right thing to do', it is a fundamental business imperative for any manufacturer looking to remain competitive in an increasingly margin constrained market." 

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

AI will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.