There are plenty of bright spots where purposeful IoT shines and companies are benefiting. One story worth telling is about progress being made in the food industry, which, according to one 2015 report, loses $160 billion a year in waste. “We’re still seeing 30-40% food waste levels post harvest, and half of this waste is occurring before food even gets to consumers,” said Peter Mehring, CEO of Zest Labs, which provides food supply chain technology solutions.