How Dole Is Creating A Zero Waste Supply Chain - And Solving Food Insecurity For the Unhoused

Courtesy: Dole Packaged Foods Canada

Growing up amidst the breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural tapestry of Canada and becoming a father of three, Dimitri Fleitman developed a profound sense of community. His life has also been deeply intertwined with the realities of food insecurity, a challenge that has touched his family and friends. This personal connection ignited his passion for making a significant impact beyond his professional endeavors. “Becoming acutely aware of how food insecurity can impact every aspect of life, from education and health to overall well-being, this personal connection to the issue inspired me to pursue tangible differences through my leading and critical roles,” he noted.

Fleitman's career has been dedicated to enhancing supply chain resilience and sustainability, with a focus on addressing food insecurity. He has championed improved access to nutritious food for all, leveraging his expertise to contribute to cost-effective solutions in addressing over-engineered food chains, forge strategic alliances with community partners such as food banks, and minimize food waste to improve environmental sustainability. 

In his role as the Head of Supply Chain & Strategy for Dole Packaged Foods Canada, Fleitman aims to create lasting solutions that provide immediate relief and foster long-term partnerships to combat food insecurity. “Stewarding with community leaders and fellow advocates, I strive to create a future where everyone has access to food,” he said.

Dimitri Fleitman, Head of Supply Chain & Strategy for Dole Packaged Foods Canada | DOLE PACKAGED FOODS CANADA

When Statistics Canada reported that in 2023, 22.9% of people in the ten provinces lived in food-insecure households, Fleitman recognized the urgency of the crisis. This statistic, representing 8.7 million people including 2.1 million children, underscored the pressing need for action. “With another year of rising food insecurity, the percentage of people affected is at a new record high. It is astonishing that over a fifth of the population struggles with food insecurity,” he noted. 

Fleitman’s strategy at Dole involved mapping the perishability lifeline of Dole's products and establishing trigger and control mechanisms within its workflows. This approach creates a push system that ensures when products near their best-before date, typically at 30 Days, community partners of Dole’s humanitarian donations are notified to facilitate timely distribution coast to coast. 

“Our objective is to create a systematic approach, that provides community partners such as food banks, and other philanthropic organizations, with food products with ample longevity for consumption, by being proactive, rather than reactive, so they too can get it in a timely manner for consumption, addressing food insecurity, and malnutrition that exists within our communities,” Fleitman explained. 

Dole Packaged Foods Canada has seen remarkable success through partnerships with organizations like the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto. In 2023 alone, these collaborations prevented over 300,000 pounds of packaged food from spoiling, resulting in over 1,000,000 servings. This achievement just highlights the effectiveness of Dole’s efforts.

Dole’s success in reengineering its supply chain, in collaboration with its community partners, has allowed Dole to successfully achieve a zero-finished product waste ecosystem for 2023 within the Canadian Marketplace. 

This milestone is part of Dole's mission to #ChangeTheFacts on food waste and hunger. “It is astonishing that this is a global problem, a global epidemic. There is enough food wasted globally to feed 3 billion people, yet 925 million people are hungry”, Fleitman highlighted. 

Dole Food Bank (left). #ChangeTheFacts campaign (right) | DOLE PACKAGED FOODS CANADA

What are the steps for replicating this success? Fleitman outlined a systematic approach that other supply chain directors can follow to achieve similar results:

1) Product Perishability Mapping

• Identify key perishability milestones.

2) Trigger and Control Mechanisms

• Set up monitoring systems and reporting.

• Establish triggers for action.

3) Push System Creation

• Set up notifications for product availability.

4) Communication with Community Partners

• Notify partners about available products.

5) Proactive Redistribution

• Ensure timely shipping and delivery in partnership with food banks.

• Follow up and gather feedback.

This systematic approach ensures a proactive workflow, allowing products to be redistributed well before their best-before dates, rather than reacting to nearing expiration and losing the opportunity to redistribute to those in need. Having ineffective supply chain designs is one of the contributing causes of not being able to repurpose food.

By providing food with ample longevity, Dole Canada helps community partners distribute delicious food in a timely manner, addressing food insecurity and malnutrition effectively.

This workflow contributes to Dole Canada’s sustainability goals by minimizing food waste and supporting humanitarian efforts across the country.

Dole Packaged Foods Canada has seen remarkable success through partnerships with organizations like the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto. | DOLE PACKAGED FOODS CANADA

By repurposing over 300,000 pounds of food in 2023, Dole Canada prevented approximately 126 metric tons of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gasses from being released, using the US EPA model framework for the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions.* This achievement aligns with Dole's sustainability goals and highlights the significant environmental benefits of reducing food waste.

“In addition to commendable efforts in environmental sustainability, addressing food insecurity, and combating malnutrition, the goal is to design an efficient, waste-free supply chain. The current landscape is highly dynamic, with ocean freight disruptions, logistical labor challenges, inflationary pressures, and changing consumer spending habits, within a perishable food supply chain, all impact the efficiency and the ability to eliminate waste,” Fleitman added. 

In 2023, Dole Packaged Foods Canada successfully repurposed goods, achieving a zero-finished goods waste ecosystem. From a financial perspective, this accomplishment has eliminated costs associated with food destruction, transportation for disposal, and unnecessary supply chain dwelling. This efficient approach not only supports the environment and community but also strengthens Dole's bottom line.

In summary, Dimitri Fleitman's visionary leadership and strategic approach at Dole Packaged Foods Canada have set a powerful example of how businesses can address food insecurity and environmental sustainability while achieving financial success.

*Note: The amount of greenhouse gasses produced from food waste is influenced by several factors, including the type of food waste, the conditions under which it decomposes, and the specific greenhouse gasses considered (primarily methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2)). Again, these figures are rough estimates, and actual emissions can vary based on specific conditions.