End Food Waste Australia (EFWA) has appointed Wendy Hughes as chief executive officer, following three months in the acting CEO role.
The appointment comes as the organisation intensifies efforts to help Australia meet its target of halving food waste by 2030 through partnerships with industry, government and Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) stakeholders, as reported by multiple media reports.
EFWA chair Geoff Starr said, “Wendy has quickly built strong relationships across our industry, government and CRC partners, helping ensure research is translated into outcomes that benefit businesses, communities and the environment.”
“Her experience in advocacy, stakeholder engagement and policy makes her well placed to lead the organisation as we step up action on food waste across Australia,” he added.
Strong sector experience
Hughes joined EFWA in 2025 as director of policy, communications and strategic engagement, where she played a key role in strengthening collaboration across Australia's food system.
She brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning government, agribusiness, higher education and the not-for-profit sector.
Prior to joining EFWA, Hughes served as chief executive officer of COUCH and held several senior advocacy and leadership positions in regional Queensland, according to Food and Beverage Industry News.
Focus on food security
Speaking on her appointment, Hughes highlighted the economic, social and environmental costs associated with food waste.
“We can’t talk about the future of food in Australia without talking about food waste,” said Hughes.
“When food is discarded, we lose the value, effort and resources invested in producing it. Food waste costs Australia around 1.4 per cent of GDP and remains a major inefficiency in our food system,” she continued.
“Reducing food waste is one of the clearest opportunities we have to improve food security, strengthen the economy and reduce environmental impacts. I’m proud to lead EFWA as we work with industry, government and our CRC partners to turn knowledge into action and scale solutions that deliver real impact,” she concluded.
As CEO, Hughes will lead EFWA’s national strategy to reduce food waste through cross-sector collaboration, helping translate research into practical solutions that improve food security, boost economic productivity and deliver environmental benefits.