Reducing food waste through smarter supply chain logistics
How logistics helps turn surplus food into community impact instead of landfill wasteBy Shannon Russell
Key points:
- TQL’s Moves that Matter program removes transportation barriers to help move donated food into communities in need.
- Logistics execution (routing, cold chain and carrier coordination) determines whether surplus food is delivered or wasted.
- Since 2014, Moves that Matter has redirected 62M+ pounds of donated goods from landfills to nonprofit partners.
Many organizations lack the logistics infrastructure needed to move donated goods where they’re most needed. What matters most is having systems that can move those goods reliably in both steady conditions and times of crisis.
Food waste usually starts as something simple: surplus food after production, a donation that needs to move quickly, a shipment that’s still good but sitting in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Most of the time, the issue isn’t the food itself but the logistics behind it.
Across the supply chain, timing, transportation access and coordination determine whether food reaches people or spoils in landfills. When those pieces don’t align, usable food is lost while communities still face food insecurity.
Fresh food, water and essential supplies are often available. The difference between waste and impact comes down to whether logistics can connect them to the people who need them in time.
More: Learn about TQL’s commitment to sustainable solutions
Moves that Matter fills a critical gap
Moves that Matter is a TQL Cares sustainability program that leverages our logistics expertise and 110,000+ carrier network to transport donated goods into communities in need at no transportation cost to nonprofits.
We absorb the expense and coordinate shipments for food banks, nonprofits and disaster relief partners, managing transportation from pickup to delivery so goods arrive safely and on time.
Since 2014, Moves that Matter has moved more than 62 million pounds of donated goods to 544 nonprofit organizations, with TQL absorbing more than $3 million in transportation expenses.
Last year, the program delivered more than 12.5 million pounds of essential goods, including the equivalent of 8.3 million meals.
Every shipment is managed by TQL Logistics Account Executives (LAEs) who handle carrier selection, routing, compliance and cold chain needs. That execution helps maintain a 0% waste rate.
The sustainability challenge
Food waste is one of the most persistent breakdowns in the supply chain.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that food waste in landfills generates about 58% of methane emissions from municipal solid waste and costs the average U.S. consumer nearly $738 each year.
At the same time, millions of pounds of edible food never reach communities because of transportation limits, timing issues and lack of coordinated logistics support.
Most nonprofit organizations do not have access to the transportation networks required to move surplus food at scale. Without that access, usable food often gets thrown away.
Moves that Matter helps close that gap by removing transportation as a barrier.
Related: Industry analysis highlights how reducing empty miles can improve efficiency
How Moves that Matter works
Moves that Matter applies standard freight execution to donated goods.
When a shipment is identified, LAEs coordinate carrier assignment, routing, compliance and delivery requirements. Cold chain handling is used when needed to protect product quality.
This lets nonprofit partners focus on their missions while we handle transportation. It includes disaster response shipments such as water, meals and hygiene products delivered during hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires when speed and access are critical.
Why it matters
Food waste and disaster relief often exist within the same supply chain. Fresh food, water and essential supplies are available, but logistics determines whether they reach people in time.
Fresh food may be available in one place but needed somewhere else. In moments of crisis, the same gap determines whether communities receive support quickly or not at all.
Moves that Matter addresses this imbalance by enabling movement at scale through a coordinated logistics network that connects surplus to need.
Measurable impact
Moves that Matter shows how logistics can turn surplus into delivered goods at scale.
By combining carrier capacity, operational execution and nonprofit partnerships, the program redirects millions of pounds of food away from landfills and into communities each year.
It’s a clear example of what becomes possible when logistics infrastructure is applied not only to commercial freight, but also to urgent community needs.
Progress in safety and sustainability does not happen by accident. It is built through leadership, innovation, and accountability.
More: TQL earns Responsible Care recognition for seventh time
Moves that Matter reflects that approach in practice, serving as the initiative submitted as part of TQL’s recognition at the 2026 Responsible Care® & Sustainability Conference. The American Chemistry Council honored TQL as a Responsible Care Partner Company of the Year for its contributions to advancing safer, more sustainable operations across the supply chain.
When logistics systems are designed for reliability, coordination, and scale, they do more than move freight—they help ensure resources reach the people and places that need them most.
Explore TQL’s Sustainability series:
Partner with TQL to reduce food waste and move surplus goods into communities in need. Reach out to your dedicated Logistics Account Executive or email Sustainability@TQL.com.
