Food loss and waste occur at every stage of the supply chain, from production to consumption, with each participant contributing to some degree of loss. In South Africa, significant food losses occur during the production and immediate post-harvest phases, accounting for 25.2% of total losses. These issues stem from inadequate technology, poor post-harvest handling practices, and inefficiencies in food supply chains. Conversely, in developed countries, advancements in mechanisation and post-harvest technologies, such as cold storage, have minimised post-harvest losses to less than 10%. However, they face higher losses during the retail and consumption stages.