Written by Melissa Vatterott, Food and Farm Coordinator. Originally published in August 2015.
Local Food Hero: Food Cowboy is a technology-based reverse supply chain solution for wholesome unsaleable food. Our mobile app helps supply chain growers, shippers and brokers route unmarketable produce to food banks instead of to landfills. Local retail donors (restaurants and supermarkets) use the app and accompanying online donation management system to manage food donations sent to local charities from one or more stores. The goal is to reduce food waste and hunger, while increasing healthy food options for people relying food charities.
A Person Behind the Project: Barbara Cohen is Food Cowboy’s Executive Vice President and Co-Founder. In this role she builds relationships with supply chain and local businesses, along with charitable organizations, encouraging the development of innovative applications of Food Cowboy’s system to improve the overall sustainability and health of the nation’s food system. Food Cowboy is used throughout the national supply chain and in local communities throughout the United States.
Organizational Website: foodcowboy.com