2026 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit

May 19-21, 2026 | Charlotte, NC
The Westin Charlotte

Session recordings now available!

Thank You For Joining Us at the Premier Food Waste Event of the Year!

We were so excited to welcome so many people to Charlotte, NC, for three days of insights, inspiration, and action at the 2026 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit.

Here's what this year's Summit was all about:

Informative Sessions: We heard from a range of food system leaders, decision-makers, and advocates sharing their insights and expertise on the biggest food waste topics—in mainstage sessions, breakouts, workshops, field trips, and more.
Actionable Takeaways: As always, the ReFED Summit was all about solutions. Attendees learned how to drive impact in their organization and work.
Extensive Networking: We made sure there was plenty of time in the schedule for connecting with colleagues old and new—through coordinated activities, happy hours, side conversations, and more.

Check out the details below!

May 25–27, 2027

Join Us Next Year in Chicago!

We're already thinking about next year's Summit—and we can't wait to see you in 2027 in the "Windy City"! With its central location and geographic importance for food distribution, innovative waste initiatives and infrastructure, significant policy momentum, and so much more, Chicago provides the perfect backdrop for moving the food waste conversation forward. Mark your calendar for next May 25–27, and let's redesign the food system together!

** Stay tuned for registration details coming soon! **

2026 Session Recordings

Whether you missed a few breakouts or weren't able to make it to Seattle, here's your chance to see what you missed. View all mainstage and breakout session recordings from this year's Summit below.

"Progress in Action: Scaling Solutions to Food Waste"

“The Big Picture: Megatrends Shaping the Future of Food Waste”

“Home Grown: How Place, Culture, and Policy Are Shaping the Future of Food Waste in North Carolina—and Beyond”

See All Sessions

2026 Featured Speakers

Michiel Bakker

President

Culinary Institute of America

Eliza Blank

Chief Executive Officer

The Farmlink Project

Ora Kemp

Senior Policy Advisor

Mayor of New York City's Office of Food Policy

Ron Gonen

Founder & CEO

Closed Loop Partners

Emily Ma

ReFED Board Member

Google

Michel Nischan

Founder & CEO, Wholesome Crave

Co-Founder & Chairman, Wholesome Wave

Priscilla Okyere

Head of Waste and Circular Solutions, Worldwide Sustainability

Amazon

Gurbir Perhar

Senior Vice President of Compass Data & AI

Compass Group North America

Kim Severson

National Food Correspondent

New York Times

Shivani Shukla

Climate Research Fellow

SMAC Methane

Jessica Synkoski

Head of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, North America and VP of Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, USA

Sodexo

Demetrius Walker

Vice President of Retail Services

Food Lion

See All Speakers

Thank You to Our Summit Sponsors!

The 2026 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit was made possible with generous support from our growing list of sponsors:

Gold

Silver

Scholarships

Bronze

Media Partners

Become a Sponsor

Check Out Highlights from Past Summits

Hear from attendees, presenters, and exhibitors why the ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit is the must-attend event for food waste professoinals!

Explore Past Summits

"This is an issue that should unite us all. There are countless reasons for each of us to commit to this cause, as it simply makes sense for our country to stop wasting food."

Thomas J. Vilsack

Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture (at the 2024 Summit)

We're looking forward to welcoming you to Charlotte, NC, next May for the 2026 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit! Make sure you're signed up for ReFED's mailing list to get all of the details as they're announced, including speakers and the full schedule—coming soon!