The Save Food Initiative is further expanding its international cooperation and deepening its partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the World Packaging Organisation (WPO).
The cooperation aims to continue strengthening the role of packaging, processing and industrial innovation in the global fight against food loss and waste. At interpack 2026, the Save Food Initiative will be deploying a variety of formats to show how it is advancing its goals worldwide.
Since its foundation in 2011, the Save Food Initiative has been working with international organizations, industry partners and institutions to reduce food loss and waste right along the value chain. Now that the cooperation with UNIDO and WPO is officially in place, the initiative has acquired additional technical depth, global reach and political relevance.
“Food loss and waste is a global problem that only international cooperation can effectively address,” explains Thomas Dohse, director interpack and Save Food Initiative. “With UNIDO and the World Packaging Organisation, we are uniting industry know-how, development policy expertise and practical solutions. This partnership strengthens Save Food as a global platform and highlights the contribution that packaging and processing can make make to realising UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
“Strengthening the agrifood midstream is vital for advancing agro-industrial development, expanding value addition, and building resilient, nutrition-focused food systems. The ‘hidden middle’ remains where losses concentrate and transformation potential is greatest. Guided by the World Without Hunger Initiative and UNIDO’s Food Loss and Waste Action Plan, we continue to prioritize midstream infrastructure, climate-smart processing, and SME capacity to reduce post-harvest loss, enhance food safety, and drive inclusive, climate-resilient growth,” explains UNIDO managing director Gunther Beger. “Save Food combines global industry expertise with specific on-the-ground projects. This kind of bridge-building is crucial to establishing sustainable value chains and improving long-term food security.”
“The World Packaging Organisation (WPO) is proud to become a strategic alliance partner of the Save Food Initiative alongside FAO, UNIDO and Messe Düsseldorf. This collective group brings extensive knowledge to global and local discussions on how food loss and waste can be minimised and environmental impacts reduced wherever possible. Through the Save Food Initiative, the WPO can help elevate awareness and education about the true role that packaging plays in minimising Food Loss & Waste. The WPO truly believes that together we can support and foster sustainable food systems around the globe that interlink agriculture, farming, packing, processing, packaging, waste management and end of life recovery of all waste. This should be a collective effort, so we welcome everyone to be a part of the change we need,” says Nerida Kelton, vice-president, Sustainability & Save Food, World Packaging Organisation (WPO).
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which has been a longstanding partner of Save Food since the initiative’s founding, continues to be closely involved in the work of the Save Food Initiative. In particular, FAO brings its expertise in the areas of food security, sustainable agricultural and food systems and the development of enabling policy environments. Raimund Jehle, FAO Deputy Regional Representative in Europe and Central Asia, explains: “Food loss and waste is a global challenge that requires joint action. The FAO’s partnership with Messe Düsseldorf as part of the Save Food Initiative supports innovation-driven solutions – including packaging technologies that contribute to food safety, reduce waste and promote food systems that are more sustainable.”
The partnership builds on many years of collaboration, including at the Save Food Design Awards, on specialist forums and during project initiatives. In future, the partners intend to collaborate even more closely on practical solutions – from design-for-recycling and transport and protective packaging to education and training programmes.
Save Food at interpack: A program with a global outlook
One central meeting point for this collaboration will be interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf from 7 to 13 May. Together with UNIDO and the World Packaging Organisation, Save Food will be presenting a multi-day programme that brings together different outlooks and formats. The programme includes Save Food Expert Talks with international experts and industry representatives, a Save Food Highlight Route, where member companies will present specific solutions for reducing food loss, and the presentation of the Save Food Awards. In addition, the Save Food project competition will also be held at interpack: several projects will be honoured and financially supported for the first time. The aim is to raise the profile of successful approaches, reinforce knowledge transfer and provide specific impetus for sustainable food systems worldwide.
The Save Food Initiative was founded in 2011 by Messe Düsseldorf and interpack, the world’s largest trade fair for the packaging sector and the related processing industry, and has since cooperated with, for example, FAO and the UN Environment Programme. As a global alliance, it follows UN SDG 12.3, fighting for a reduction of food loss and waste. A special focus is placed on innovations from the packaging industry.
