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Food waste is a significant global issue, contributing to environmental degradation, resource depletion, and economic loss. Every year, about one-third of all food produced for human consumption—around 1.3 billion tons—goes to waste, emitting billions of tons of greenhouse gases in the process.
Lucky for us, companies in APAC are tackling this problem head-on by developing innovative solutions to reduce waste at every stage of the food supply chain. From artificial intelligence to recycling food scraps into valuable products, these companies are playing a crucial role in creating a sustainable food system.
Year founded: 2016
Total funding raised: $16M
Latest funding round: Series B
Country: India
Intello Labs is rethinking the way we look at food quality, using cool artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision technology. Instead of relying on old-fashioned, time-consuming methods to check the quality of fruits and vegetables, Intello Labs offers a smarter, faster solution. Their AI-driven tools provide digital, non-invasive quality checks that help farmers, retailers, and suppliers keep tabs on their produce all the way through the supply chain. The result? Less food waste and more consistent product standards.
Two of their standout products, Intello Sort and Intello Track, make real-time quality control a breeze. These tools assess key features like color, size, shape, and any visual defects with incredible accuracy. The days of slow, manual checks are over—Intello Sort can process produce up to 40 times faster, meaning more efficiency and far less waste. Plus, their mobile-friendly, cloud-based platform lets businesses monitor food quality anytime, anywhere, whether it's still on the farm or in the store.
By cutting down on food waste and increasing transparency across the supply chain, Intello Labs is tackling a much bigger issue: food security and sustainability. Their solutions are already transforming how agricultural produce is graded across markets, helping farmers and businesses make smarter decisions and avoid huge losses.
Year founded: 2020
Total funding raised: $1.5M
Latest funding round: Seed
Country: Australia
Whole is taking on the challenge of food waste by transforming surplus produce into nutrient-packed ingredients. At the heart of their innovative approach is their proprietary WINX™ technology, which stands for "Whole Ingredient Nutrient Extraction." This process takes agricultural waste—like grains, fruits, and vegetables—and breaks it down using ultra-high pressure, extracting maximum nutrition and flavor while eliminating the waste that usually comes with processing.
Unlike traditional methods that often rely on heat or chemicals (and generate plenty of waste in the process), WINX™ is a cold, chemical-free system that not only reduces waste but also cuts operational costs. Plus, it’s versatile—able to process a wide range of agricultural byproducts, which means it can be adapted to various industries.
Whole is already collaborating with big-name companies like Simplot and Ferrero, helping them turn surplus produce such as broccoli stems or grain byproducts into value-added ingredients for things like packaged meals and low-sugar snacks. By doing this, Whole is also giving farmers and manufacturers a new way to profit from crops that might otherwise go unused.
Year founded: 2019
Total funding raised: Undisclosed
Latest funding round: Undisclosed
Country: Vietnam
NetZero Pallet is transforming the logistics industry with a genius solution: sustainable pallets made from agricultural waste, specifically coconut husks. In an industry where traditional wooden pallets dominate—making up 90% of the market and contributing significantly to deforestation and carbon emissions—NetZero Pallet is offering a carbon-negative, eco-friendly alternative that doesn’t just avoid using trees, but actually captures CO₂ by repurposing agricultural waste.
What makes NetZero Pallets stand out is that they are 100% wood-free and fully circular. This means they can be recycled or repurposed at the end of their life cycle, making them not only more environmentally friendly but also more cost-effective. In fact, they’re around 20% cheaper than traditional wooden pallets. Plus, they’re exempt from international shipping regulations like ISPM 15, which governs the treatment of wooden pallets—making them easier and less costly to move across borders.
NetZero Pallets also come with some serious practical perks. They’re moisture-resistant, flame-retardant, and can handle heavier loads, making them a strong competitor to conventional wood pallets. Their nestable design is a big space-saver too, cutting down on storage space by up to 70%. Beyond just logistics, the company’s model supports broader environmental goals, helping businesses reduce their carbon footprints while creating a new market for agricultural byproducts like coconut husks, which also provides extra income for farmers in regions vulnerable to climate change.
Year founded: 2018
Total funding raised: $600k
Latest funding round: Seed
Country: Singapore
Lumitics, a Singapore-based food tech startup, is tackling food waste in the hospitality and aviation sectors with its smart solution, the Insight system. Using AI-powered image recognition and sensors, Lumitics helps commercial kitchens, buffets, and airlines track exactly what food is being discarded. By gathering detailed data on food waste, they provide chefs and kitchen managers with actionable insights to help reduce waste, optimize portion sizes, and adjust menus based on real customer preferences.
The best part? Lumitics' system integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. It snaps photos of discarded food, uses AI to categorize it, and generates comprehensive reports, making it easier for businesses to take meaningful actions like trimming portion sizes for less popular dishes or making smarter purchasing decisions. This user-friendly tech doesn't disrupt the kitchen's flow but makes a big impact on waste reduction.
The results speak for themselves: Lumitics’ system has shown the potential to cut food waste by up to 40% in places like hotels, airlines, and large kitchens. With plans to expand across the Asia-Pacific region, Lumitics is helping more businesses lower their environmental footprint while boosting operational efficiency, proving that smart technology can drive sustainability in the food industry.
Year founded: 2023
Total funding raised: Undisclosed
Latest funding round: Undisclosed
Country: Indonesia
Biomakan is on a mission to take what would usually be discarded—think food scraps and agricultural waste—and transform it into products like organic fertilizers and animal feed additives. By using a clever circular economy approach and innovative bacterial cultures, Biomakan creates post-biotic products that are sustainable and offer a cheaper alternative to traditional commercial options for the agriculture and livestock industries.
What makes Biomakan’s approach even more exciting is how it benefits small-scale farmers. Instead of seeing food waste as a problem, Biomakan helps farmers turn it into a resource. Farmers can either use their own waste to produce these valuable products or sell it back to Biomakan, creating a win-win situation. This model cuts down on waste and lowers the environmental impact and provides farmers with affordable, sustainable solutions.
Biomakan is doing more than just helping individual farmers—they're part of a global movement toward responsible consumption and waste reduction. By converting waste into useful products, they’re paving the way for a zero-waste agricultural system, boosting productivity and sustainability at the same time.
Year founded: 2021
Total funding raised: Undisclosed
Latest funding round: Undisclosed
Country: Hong Kong
The food-rescue app is on a mission to tackle the city’s massive food waste problem. Every day, 3,600 tons of food end up in landfills, accounting for almost 40% of the city’s waste. CHOMP offers an effective solution: it connects consumers with unsold, perfectly good food from restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and other food businesses through a “Mystery Box” model. These boxes offer discounted prices for food that would otherwise be tossed, turning potential waste into delicious, affordable meals.
CHOMP’s goal is to create a circular economy by providing F&B businesses with an easy-to-use platform to reduce food surplus and make money from food that would typically be wasted. By helping to reduce food waste, CHOMP is also cutting down the carbon footprint tied to that waste, contributing to a more sustainable future for Hong Kong.
Since its launch, CHOMP has partnered with over 115 businesses and gained thousands of users, rescuing significant amounts of food in the process. Beyond the app’s immediate impact, CHOMP is dedicated to raising awareness about food waste through education, tips, and community outreach. By shifting consumer attitudes and empowering both businesses and individuals, CHOMP is proving that technology can make a real difference in the fight against food waste.
Interested in discovering more APAC companies that are driving innovation in food waste reduction? Explore our directory of over 1,000 climate tech companies in the region: https://www.asiaclimatehub.com/