ReFED – CET

Wasted Food Training Program

Training Champions for Wasted Food Reduction

CET, in partnership with ReFED and funded by Toast, developed this Train-the-Trainer initiative to address a persistent gap in the food waste field: the limited availability of skilled, locally embedded technical assistance to help food businesses establish lasting waste reduction and diversion practices.

Expanding Wasted Food Reduction Through Trusted Partners

This program supports agencies and organizations that already work with food businesses and equips them to deliver high-quality wasted food prevention, donation, and diversion assistance as part of their ongoing operations.

The Champions for Wasted Food Reduction initiative is grounded in the proven processes and tools CET developed through its award-winning RecyclingWorks in MA program and related statewide efforts in Connecticut and New York. By packaging decades of lessons learned, insights, and materials, the initiative fast-tracks participating organizations’ ability to launch similar wasted-food reduction services in their communities.

Two people talking and reviewing notes together, with CET and ReFED logos and a graphic pattern in the background, representing collaboration on wasted food reduction initiatives.

Become a champion for wasted food solutions

Program scope and participation

Group of seven people wearing hairnets and protective coats, standing together and smiling, likely in a food processing or facility setting.

This training program first cohort reflects strong national demand and broad applicability:

70+ organizations applied from across the U.S

20+ organizations accepted following intake calls and alignment review

Participants represent municipal governments, counties, councils of governments, and nonprofits

Geographies have included California, Oregon, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Virginia, with continued inbound interest from additional regions

Participation includes both virtual training and in-person, field-based learning, designed to support real implementation in food service settings.

Download the training information

Training Model

The program training model is structured around how wasted food reduction work happens in practice.

On-site assessment of food service operations

Development of practical, business-appropriate recommendations

Prevention, donation, recycling, and reuse strategies

Integration of wasted food reduction alongside regulatory compliance

Outreach approaches that reflect the operational realities of food businesses

Training is reinforced through:

Live virtual modules with applied exercises

Office hours and ongoing technical support

On-site shadowing and mentored delivery of technical assistance

Implementation Results

Person placing items into a row of green dumpsters, with bins labeled for trash and recycling, illustrating waste disposal and sorting.

CET’s first cohort has completed or are actively engaged in on-site training and follow-up support with food businesses in multiple regions.

While full impact measurement requires longer time horizons, early signals include:

New surplus food recovery programs implemented and expanded

Measurable increases in food scrap diversion at participating businesses

Adoption of reuse and waste prevention practices beyond baseline compliance

Integration of wasted food reduction services into existing municipal and county programs

Several cohort participants are now extending this work across multiple establishments or entire restaurant groups, indicating early replication potential.

Why this model matters

Group of people smiling together outdoors, holding a landfill sign, suggesting a team visit or educational activity related to waste management.

No-cost assistance to support businesses with establishing wasted food reduction programs is a proven model for driving compliance with food waste policies and for achieving measurable waste reduction outcomes. Technical assistance providers help make it possible for businesses to prioritize sustainable waste management and they help ensure that new practices are seamlessly integrated into existing operations.

This program demonstrates:

Technical assistance for wasted food reduction can be systematized and taught

Local and regional agencies can sustain this work beyond a single grant cycle

Prevention and donation can be embedded alongside diversion and compliance

Investments in training can unlock long-term, place-based impact

From a funder perspective, this is a capacity-building intervention with the potential to compound over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the training really free?

This training is at no-cost thanks to grants that support this program like the ReFED Catalytic Grant and support from Toast.

Where can I get more information?

You can contact us Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (413) 586-7350 or send us an email at cet@cetonline.org

Are you currently accepting applicants?

We have completed our first round of virtual and onsite training. In spring of 2026, we are conducting an additional round of onsite training with a selected cohort. Information on upcoming application details for future training opportunities will be posted on this webpage.

Is this training right for me?

The goal of the program is to give participants the essential skills, knowledge, and tools to confidently deliver technical assistance for food waste reduction in their own communities. If that sounds like what you’re looking for, let’s talk!

★★★★★

Earthday365 is proud to have participated in CET’s Food Waste Train-the-Trainer program. This comprehensive training has been instrumental in enhancing our food waste reduction initiatives in the St Louis community. Thanks to CET’s program, earthday365 is better equipped to lead and inspire sustainable food waste solutions in our community.

Earthday365 Team

Lead the change in reducing food waste

Join the waitlist to gain early access to tools, training, and support to drive food waste reduction in your community.

Together, we can create a lasting impact that benefits both the environment and the local economy.

ReFED Training

https://www.cetonline.org/clients/refed/

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