In a world where nearly a third of all food produced is lost or wasted, the inefficiencies of our linear food system are becoming impossible to ignore. Among the most striking examples is bread—an everyday staple that is discarded at astonishing rates despite the resources, energy, and labour invested in its production. Yet within this challenge lies an opportunity. What if one of the most wasted foods could be transformed into something of value? This article explores an innovative and surprisingly simple solution: turning surplus bread into beer. By blending ancient brewing practices with modern circular economy thinking, companies like Toast Ale are not only reducing waste but also reshaping how we think about resource efficiency, value creation, and sustainability in the food system.
44% of all bread is wasted The 2015 report Growth Within: a circular economy vision for a competitive Europe looked at the scale of structural waste in the food system in the linear economy. In total, 31% of food produced is lost or wasted, both throughout the value chain and as consumer waste.
https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-examples/brewing-beer-from-surplus-bread
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