Carnarvon Sweeter Banana Co-operative map waste streams and explore new products to reduce food waste

A banana co-operative located in WA’s food bowl of the Gascoyne has joined a project to reduce waste by exploring the potential for new products — including a frozen alternative of the fruit — as part of its zero waste goal. The State Government is investing $320,000 in the Post Harvest Food Waste Transformation project to help food and beverage businesses explore innovative waste solutions. With food waste costing the Australian economy approximately $36.6 billion annually, the initiative aims to transform and reduce food waste, benefiting both businesses and consumers with potentially lower prices. Carnarvon-based Sweeter Banana Co-operative has signed up and will begin mapping their waste streams to identify opportunities for new product development and cost reduction. In the works is a frozen banana range, which will ensure the Carnarvon banana is available to purchase when fresh fruit is in short supply and reduce the amount of edible bananas thrown away by using the seconds product. The co-operative discards 325 tonnes of banana stalks and 200 tonnes of edible bananas annually. Sweeter Banana Co-operative business manager Doriana Mangili said while the food waste was repurposed as mulch for paddocks, it was important to establish sustainable alternatives so the produce could be consumed. “If you’re growing something that’s edible, it seems really criminal to then put that back when it could have fed somebody,” she said. The grower-owned co-operative formed in 2002 and supplied bananas to supermarkets across the State, until Eastern States-grown bananas became the popular choice due to their large size and unmarked peel. In the past, Ms Mangili said local growers discarded 60 per cent of the bunch to encourage remaining bananas to grow to match their competitors, while another 30 per cent of the fruit was discarded in the grading process. By creating a branded lunchbox banana, the smaller sized Gascoyne-grown fruit was able to be sold on supermarket shelves without following size regulations. “There was a lot of waste. Just simply by creating the lunchbox banana, they were able to eliminate a large amount of what was waste,” Ms Mangili said. Sweeter Banana Co-operative is one of three businesses that have signed up to map their waste streams. The project is a collaboration between the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, and Curtin University, with an additional $370,000 committed by End Food Waste Cooperative. The initiative seeks to boost business resilience and contribute to environmental sustainability, aligning with Australia’s 2030 food waste targets. More businesses are expected to join the project in the coming months.