Lauriel Lau
VFR: Lauriel, tell us about yourself and why you are interested in food systems work.
Lauriel Lau: From a young age, I’ve always been fascinated by how food plays a significant role in our lives —not just as a necessity, but as a driver of community and sustainability.
During my time at UBC, I discovered a passion for food economics, which allowed me to combine my business skills with my commitment to environmental stewardship. The idea of creating a more sustainable food system through optimized logistics and waste reduction is what truly drives me.
VFR: Please share about the master’s degree you’re currently completing at UBC, the specific project you’re involved with at Vancouver Food Runners, and why you were motivated to take on this project.
LL: I’m currently pursuing my Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE) at UBC, a program that has provided me with invaluable skills in data analysis and food systems management.
My project with Vancouver Food Runners involved conducting the 2024 Food Donor Feedback Survey and narrative interviews with food donors.
I was motivated to take on this project because it offered an opportunity to make a difference in food waste management in Vancouver. VFR’s mission to mitigate food waste while enhancing community food security resonated deeply with my personal and academic goals.
VFR: You’ve gathered a lot of data through VFR’s 2024 Food Donor Feedback Survey, including food businesses’ motivations for being involved in food recovery. Why do these businesses want to donate their surplus food?
LL: In this study (completed by 30 businesses), the two primary reasons that businesses want to get involved in food recovery were:
1) Reducing food waste (environmental impact); and
2) Supporting the community (addressing food insecurity)
The graph illustrates how motivations are consistently ranked across businesses, showing the priority that companies place on food waste reduction and providing community support.
Many businesses view being involved in a food recovery program as a key part of their sustainability goals and corporate responsibility.
For instance, participants from Dashmart and Urban Fare highlighted that food recovery helps them cut waste and give back to the community. As a Dashmart participant noted, “Anytime we open a new location, one of our priorities is finding a local organization to partner with because we really care about reducing food waste and supporting the local community.”
Although liking VFR’s food recovery model (free, easy, flexible) and financial savings from reduced waste hauling costs were mentioned less frequently than environmental and community motivations, they still played a key role in encouraging participation.
This table above provides a detailed breakdown of how businesses rated their experience with various logistical aspects of VFR’s program, showing the overwhelmingly positive responses for most areas of engagement.
VFR: Overall, businesses indicated that donating their surplus food through VFR’s program is a straightforward process. Which areas, in particular, do they find easy?
LL: Survey responses indicate that businesses find several aspects of working with VFR easy and efficient.
Many participants highlighted the onboarding process, coordination with VFR staff, and the reliability of pickups as key strengths of the program. The straightforward onboarding process was especially appreciated by most respondents and mentioned in the in-depth interviews.
Other areas, such as the helpfulness of volunteers, the timeliness of pickups (often within 24 hours), and VFR’s ability to manage surplus food, were also rated highly.
Businesses frequently praised the smooth logistics and positive interactions with VFR staff and volunteers.
VFR: Being involved in a food recovery program is often a first step towards becoming more aware of food waste, which then leads to operational changes to reduce that waste. What did the data show in this area?
The data revealed that participating in VFR’s food recovery program significantly increases awareness of food waste among businesses, which is an exciting finding!
Over 50% of respondents reported a substantial rise in their awareness of food waste within their operations. This heightened awareness prompted changes, such as improved inventory management and proactive food waste reduction strategies. For example, businesses like Urban Fare and UBC Farm started implementing these changes after recognizing the extent of their surplus.
An Urban Fare representative mentioned, “Shrink is a huge part of our business. If we have too many bananas, instead of throwing them out, that’s where you guys come in. You can take the product and actually give it away.”
VFR: You observed some trends in your research. Please share more about these!
LL: A notable trend is the difference between smaller and larger businesses. Smaller businesses, like Moore’s Bakery, often cited limited staff time as a barrier to participation, while larger businesses, such as Yen Brothers Food Service, found it easier to manage food donations due to their greater capacity and resources.
Another key trend is the importance of logistical support—businesses with smoother logistics were more likely to implement significant operational changes to reduce waste.
Regarding issues with donating food, challenge areas that emerged included:
1) Unpredictable frequency of food available for donation;
2) Limited containers and boxes to package the food donations; and
3) Limited staff time to organize food donations
These barriers highlight potential areas where businesses and VFR can work together to develop solutions.
VFR: What has surprised you the most during this project? And what has been the most “memorable moment” for you in doing this work?
What surprised me the most was how deeply businesses care about the impact of their food donations.
A strong sense of community responsibility was evident in nearly every conversation I had with food donors. For example, Grounds for Coffee shared how their staff feels good knowing their surplus food is going to people in need. They noted, “It’s all good seeing the food go to people who will eat it, use it, and enjoy it. I do know a lot of our staff feel good about it knowing where it’s going.”
A particularly memorable moment for me was hearing from UBC Farm about how their food recovery efforts align with their mission to address food sovereignty and support the local community. Knowing that their surplus produce was getting to people efficiently and in good condition was a priority for them.
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