Dive Brief:
- The Raley’s Companies has partnered with Divert, a food waste prevention company, to implement the company’s systems across 118 Raley’s division stores, according to a Thursday press release.
- The companies are working to address food insecurity and reduce food waste by advancing a “circular food system,” which includes minimizing food waste through food donations and food recovery programs.
- This partnership helps Raley’s meet California state regulations that aim to divert organic waste from landfills. It’s the second partnership private equity-backed Divert has announced with a grocer in recent months.
Dive Insight:
So far, the regional grocer has used Divert’s insights to expand its donation guidelines and best practices to encompass a wider range of fresh food, leading to increased donations. Food that isn’t donated is taken to a Divert facility in Turlock, California, where it is made into carbon-negative renewable energy and material that gets added to improve soil.
The grocery company implemented Divert’s systems chainwide within a month, equipping its stores with Divert’s IoT tracking and data insights. The tie-up also provided store walkthroughs with personnel in the Feeding America network of local food banks.
Raley’s work with Divert is also in compliance with California’s SB 1383 regulation, which requires the diversion of organic waste from disposal. California regulations that aim to reduce organic waste landfill disposal, according to waste management and environmental services company WM.
Divert has announced partnerships with several grocers as it expands its network of anaerobic digestion facilities. In June, the company announced an expanded partnership with Kroger-owned Fred Meyer Stores through which it would accept food waste from all 105 of the grocer's stores in Oregon and Washington.
Divert is backed by private equity firm Ara Partners. The company announced several changes to its C-suite earlier this year amid plans to add dozens of new anaerobic digestion facilities across the U.S.
