World’s largest cruise company shares progress on fighting food waste in advance of International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization , an estimated 40% of the global food supply is lost or wasted. In support of global efforts to tackle this important issue, Carnival Corporation & plc , the world’s largest cruise company, remains committed to shrinking its “food print” – an important element in the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainable operations from ship to shore. As the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (Sept. 29) approaches, Carnival Corporationand its Italian cruise line, Costa Cruises, are sharing inspiring achievements and progress on food waste reduction goals that help support a more resilient food future.

Fighting Food Loss & Waste Across the Corporation
Carnival Corporation has made significant progress in minimizing unused food across every aspect of food preparation, dining services and uneaten food disposal onboard its global fleet. Earlier this year, the company surpassed its 2025 food waste reduction goal, leveraging human ingenuity and new technologies to cut 42% of food loss and waste compared to five years ago (2019) and is tracking toward its 50% reduction target set for 2030.

Jan Swartz, executive vice president of strategic operations for Carnival Corporation, shared updates about the company’s food waste reduction progress at the annual Champions 12.3 event held earlier today during Climate Week NYC. The event, which brought together influential leaders and innovators who are driving change in the global food system, covered recent findings on the scale of food loss and waste, addressed the need for greater urgency, and shared learnings to find solutions to avoid the consequences of inaction.

Swartz joined the international coalition late last year, which is comprised of roughly 40 leaders across government, business and civil society dedicated to accelerating progress toward achieving Target 12.3 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on food loss and waste. Swartz is the organization’s first Champion from the cruise industry.

Costa Cruises Expands “4GOODFOOD” Food Waste Reduction Project
As part of the company’s efforts to ensure food does not go to waste, its Costa Cruises line recently expanded its 4GOODFOOD program to donate prepared, unserved food to local community food banks.

Originally created in 2017 in what was a first for global shipping, Costa Cruises, together with the food bank charity Fondazione Banco Alimentare, introduced the surplus food donation program, which involves the retrieval of “ready to eat” meals prepared on board but not served in the ships’ dining establishments.

Most recently, Costa Cruises announced an agreement with Palma de Mallorca and Valencia to become the 15^th and 16^th ports to benefit from the program. To date, more than 300,000 portions of food have been donated throughout the Mediterranean and the Caribbean since the program’s inception.

“One of the many ways we create unforgettable happiness for our guests is through world-class food and dining experiences on our ships,” said Swartz. “We are committed to doing this responsibly, and we rely on the dedication and creativity of our 160,000 talented team members who constantly find new ways to reduce food waste from our operations, often while enhancing the guest experience.”

Swartz added: “Our goal is to have less uneaten food and, with the remaining food, find ways to ensure it doesn’t go to waste, like doing our part to help communities facing food scarcity.”

In addition to meal donations, phases of the 4GOODFOOD program have included revising more than 500 recipes to make meal production more efficient; using Winnow kitchen scales that analyze waste and losses to adjust food production and reduce the amount of food thrown away during the meal preparation process; training and engagement for galley staff; and implementing the “Too Good to Waste” campaign to raise awareness on the topic for guests and crew onboard.

Carnival Corporation is seeking to expand the meal donation program to other communities and is working with officials in the Caribbean and Latin America to determine its feasibility.