SHARING EXCESS: FIGHTING FOOD WASTE, ONE AVOCADO AT A
TIME CASE STUDY SOLUTION
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SYNOPSIS
In 2022, Evan Ehlers founded a food rescue non-profit, Sharing Excess. Just four years since its beginning,
he needed to salvage over half a million avocados from Peru. Faced with the challenge of upholding Sharing
n
Excess’s mission while dealing with the perishable nature of avocados, Ehlers embarked on a race against
tio
time. Together with his team, his task was to devise a distribution and marketing strategy to swiftly connect
the avocados with those in need. With a mere 48-hour window, his determination was unwavering, but the
question remained: how could he pull it off?
lu
So
OBJECTIVES
• Understand the scale of food waste globally and recognize its implications on environmental
sustainability.
• Identify key stages in the food supply chain where waste occurs and analyze the contributing factors.
• Examine how logistics and distribution challenges prevent edible food from reaching communities.
• Assess the challenges faced by food businesses in donating excess food and the reasons behind their
disposal practices.
• Examine potential solutions and strategies for reducing food waste at various stages in the supply chain.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, social media, and digital marketing aimed at raising
awareness about food waste and promoting sustainable practices.
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
,ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1. Based on the case reading, identify key stages in the food supply chain where waste occurs and analyze
the contributing factors. What are some of the potential solutions and strategies for reducing food waste
at various stages in the supply chain?
2. Describe the Sharing Excess business model. What is its unique value proposition? What does it do for
its customers and how does it help them gain value or avoid pain? How does Sharing Excess deliver on
its promise to provide value?
3. How has the distribution and logistics network been established at Sharing Excess? How do you think
it helped with the “Avogeddon” incident?
4. Given the time frame, what marketing and/or communications efforts would you use to spread the word
about the excess of avocados?
5. To expand its impact, what operational and marketing recommendations would you give to Sharing
Excess? How would you measure the success of the strategy and tactics (i.e., key performance
indicators or KPIs)?
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The Case Solution Starts From page 6
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2. Describe the Sharing Excess business model. What is its unique value proposition? What does
it do for its customers and how does it help them gain value or avoid pain? How does Sharing
Excess deliver on its promise to provide value?
Sharing Excess collaborates with food businesses and food banks, serving as a middleman, to minimize
food waste and enhance food accessibility. Through using cutting-edge technology and a broad base of
volunteers, it aims to reduce expenses, enhance operational efficiency, and monitor the effects—resulting
in mutual benefits for all involved parties.
The most unique and challenging part of its value proposition is that it is a “food rescue” program compared
to a “food bank” program. Food banks typically manage non-perishable food items, while food rescue
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -1: STAGES OF FOOD WASTE AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CURBING IT
STAGE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR POTENTIAL SOLUTION/STRATEGY
• Food may be left unharvested due to • Promote sustainable farming practices to
labour shortages, weather conditions, or optimize yield and reduce losses.
demand fluctuations. •
•
Production/
•
growth
•
• Damage during transportation, delays, •
e
and inadequate handling contribute to
waste.
• •
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Distribution/
m
logistics Sa
• Overstocked shelves lead to waste, as •
products may not be sold before
expiration.
n
•
tio
Retail
•
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• • Advocate for clearer date labelling,
•
Consumer •
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
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EXHIBIT -4: SWOT ANALYSIS OF SHARING EXCESS
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STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Efficient delivery of rescued food. • Providing consumers with real-time information on
So
• where, when, and how to obtain the rescued food.
• •
•
•
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
• Increasing amount of information among the • Feasibility and flexibility of expanding into other parts
community. of the state (and in other languages).
• •
•
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
TIME CASE STUDY SOLUTION
e
pl
m
Sa
SYNOPSIS
In 2022, Evan Ehlers founded a food rescue non-profit, Sharing Excess. Just four years since its beginning,
he needed to salvage over half a million avocados from Peru. Faced with the challenge of upholding Sharing
n
Excess’s mission while dealing with the perishable nature of avocados, Ehlers embarked on a race against
tio
time. Together with his team, his task was to devise a distribution and marketing strategy to swiftly connect
the avocados with those in need. With a mere 48-hour window, his determination was unwavering, but the
question remained: how could he pull it off?
lu
So
OBJECTIVES
• Understand the scale of food waste globally and recognize its implications on environmental
sustainability.
• Identify key stages in the food supply chain where waste occurs and analyze the contributing factors.
• Examine how logistics and distribution challenges prevent edible food from reaching communities.
• Assess the challenges faced by food businesses in donating excess food and the reasons behind their
disposal practices.
• Examine potential solutions and strategies for reducing food waste at various stages in the supply chain.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, social media, and digital marketing aimed at raising
awareness about food waste and promoting sustainable practices.
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
,ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
1. Based on the case reading, identify key stages in the food supply chain where waste occurs and analyze
the contributing factors. What are some of the potential solutions and strategies for reducing food waste
at various stages in the supply chain?
2. Describe the Sharing Excess business model. What is its unique value proposition? What does it do for
its customers and how does it help them gain value or avoid pain? How does Sharing Excess deliver on
its promise to provide value?
3. How has the distribution and logistics network been established at Sharing Excess? How do you think
it helped with the “Avogeddon” incident?
4. Given the time frame, what marketing and/or communications efforts would you use to spread the word
about the excess of avocados?
5. To expand its impact, what operational and marketing recommendations would you give to Sharing
Excess? How would you measure the success of the strategy and tactics (i.e., key performance
indicators or KPIs)?
e
pl
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, e
pl
m
Sa
n
tio
lu
So
2. Describe the Sharing Excess business model. What is its unique value proposition? What does
it do for its customers and how does it help them gain value or avoid pain? How does Sharing
Excess deliver on its promise to provide value?
Sharing Excess collaborates with food businesses and food banks, serving as a middleman, to minimize
food waste and enhance food accessibility. Through using cutting-edge technology and a broad base of
volunteers, it aims to reduce expenses, enhance operational efficiency, and monitor the effects—resulting
in mutual benefits for all involved parties.
The most unique and challenging part of its value proposition is that it is a “food rescue” program compared
to a “food bank” program. Food banks typically manage non-perishable food items, while food rescue
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, EXHIBIT -1: STAGES OF FOOD WASTE AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CURBING IT
STAGE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR POTENTIAL SOLUTION/STRATEGY
• Food may be left unharvested due to • Promote sustainable farming practices to
labour shortages, weather conditions, or optimize yield and reduce losses.
demand fluctuations. •
•
Production/
•
growth
•
• Damage during transportation, delays, •
e
and inadequate handling contribute to
waste.
• •
pl
Distribution/
m
logistics Sa
• Overstocked shelves lead to waste, as •
products may not be sold before
expiration.
n
•
tio
Retail
•
lu
So
• • Advocate for clearer date labelling,
•
Consumer •
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
, e
pl
m
Sa
n
tio
EXHIBIT -4: SWOT ANALYSIS OF SHARING EXCESS
lu
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Efficient delivery of rescued food. • Providing consumers with real-time information on
So
• where, when, and how to obtain the rescued food.
• •
•
•
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
• Increasing amount of information among the • Feasibility and flexibility of expanding into other parts
community. of the state (and in other languages).
• •
•
The Case Solution Starts From page 6
