Whole Chain Resource Efficiency

WCRE Toolkit Whole Chain Resources Efficiency (WCRE) Toolkit

A ‘Self-help toolkit’ (see download below) has been developed which is based on our experience of running many waste prevention projects.

The full toolkit is made up of a number of templates, tools and checklists to help you assemble a team and implement our tested problem solving approach. It also includes a true cost of waste screening tool to map where significant losses occur in the chain and where action can add real value. The toolkit is flexible and can be adapted to meet the needs of particular products and companies who wish to follow this approach.

Projects

Here is a list of the completed projects:

• Pork value chain (NEW)
• Potato value chain
• Apples value chain
• Onions value chain

We are also working on several other projects. We will share the details once they have been completed.

Beef value chain (New)

WRAP worked with a number of businesses and other organisations to review evidence for opportunities to reduce environmental impacts and improve efficiency across beef supply chains.  Environmental and economic performance often go hand in hand, and we found that there are opportunities to both improve efficiency and generate better returns for all parts of the supply chain; all of which can be achieved without compromising commercial performance. The results of this review are summarised in the document 'Tackling hotspots in the beef supply chain' below.

WRAP continues to develop this work further under the Courtauld Commitment 2025, in collaboration with signatories and the wider industry.

Potato value chain

This project demonstrates how value is being lost at different stages of the supply chain, identifying resource efficiency opportunities that could save the Co-operative Group some £600,000 per annum.

The key opportunities are:

• A focus on maximising pack-out rates (as well as yield) so that more of the harvested crop is available for sale to consumers; 
• Less electricity can be used in storage without impacting quality, saving emissions and cost; 
• Less water could be used to grow the crops; 
• Reductions in material usage can be achieved by rationalising packaging and staff training; 
• Transport costs, fuel and emissions can be reduced; and
• Effective supply chain collaboration, for example through order timing and promotional planning, can save significant costs. 

Read the full Potato value chain case study below for further details.

We have also drawn out 'Increasing profitability' key messages (see below) on resource use and profitability in the potato supply chain drawing on this and other work on potatoes within WRAP. 

Note
Since this work was completed the Cooperative Group have announced their intention to sell their farm network which was included in the project. 

Onions value chain

This project demonstrated that better onion utilisation could increase both yields and throughput saving £370,000 per annum. 

The key opportunities are:

• Understanding that size variability is as significant as quality in onion intake;
• Investigating what the supply chain can do to influence this variability;
• Finding solutions so that the optimum specification of onion is used for the premium ring line;
• Considering a change to procurement strategy to avoid pure ‘price point’ trading;
• Communicating temperature load requirements to growers to avoid cooling more than necessary; and
• Re-engineering production to deliver to customer pull, not supplier push.