The Cost Savings of Food Sustainability

In this episode of The Business Gay Podcast, host Calan Breckon speaks with the founder and CEO of BetterTable™, Ben Liegey.

BetterTable™ is a Vancouver-based benefit company empowering kitchens to boost profits, cut food waste in half, and achieve Net Zero emissions. Ben has over 10 years’ experience in food sustainability and in 2024 he was named one of Business in Vancouver’s 40 Under 40. At this years CGLCC Summit, Ben also won the 2025 Emerging Exporter of the Year award as well as the EY Pitch Competition in partnership with Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce.

Watch on YouTube

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• BetterTable.com
• FoodSynergyMovie.ca
• Ben Liegey on LinkedIn
• Join the CGLCC Mentorship Program (Applications close Aug 18, 2025)

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Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

• [2:51] Shocking stat: About half of all food in Canada is wasted, totaling over $50 billion annually and significantly contributing to climate change.
• [4:09] Why food waste is a rare triple-win issue: it can reduce costs, lower environmental impact, and improve social outcomes all at once.
• [5:35] Key impact metrics BetterTable™ tracks: cost savings, carbon emission reduction, and meals saved, with a focus on UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• [6:55] Launch of the BetterTable™ app to automate food audits and track sustainability metrics remotely for kitchens.
• [10:50] Success stories: some clients, including hotels, have cut food waste by 30% and saved $20,000 annually.
• [16:11] Three sustainability tips for restaurants: train staff, track data, and get creative with ingredients to reduce waste.

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