The problem of global food waste is critical to resolve – from the standpoint of both alleviating hunger and improving the environment by reducing carbon emissions and landfill usage. Successfully reducing food waste requires involving many stakeholders – both public and private – and galvanizing them to overcome barriers through positive action. This paper draws on lessons in stakeholder management from an impressive sustainability project involving multiple stakeholders – the implementation of the Vélib’ bicycle program in Paris – and applies them to the issue of reducing food waste at the local community level. The framework is a “start‐small” approach on which to build.