(Graphic: Business Wire)
Retailers will leverage Divert’s proprietary data, waste reduction and food recovery strategies to meet state-led organic waste recovery targets.
WEST CONCORD, Mass., June 12, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Divert, Inc., an impact technology company with a mission to “Protect the Value of Food™,” and Safeway, a leading brand owned by Albertsons Companies, today announced the results of the implementation of Divert's optimization solution to reduce food waste and accelerate food recovery efforts. Safeway increased food donations by 20% over a three-month period and reduced edible food waste by an average of 1,252 pounds per store per month. Leveraging Divert's proprietary data, Divert helped the retailer improve its food donation program by identifying the root causes of food waste from an operational perspective.
“Safeway is committed to putting food on the table for our neighbors in need,” said Karl Schroeder, president of Safeway's Northern California division. “Divert has been a valuable partner in helping us strengthen our food recovery efforts, sharing strategies and key insights across our business to drive immediate results. We value their customized, collaborative approach to food recovery.”
California businesses are working to comply with state Senate Bill (SB) 1383 legislation to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% and increase edible food recovery statewide by 2025. Safeway engaged Divert in early 2024 to implement solutions to optimize food waste prevention and food recovery to feed more people in need. Working with Divert, Safeway was able to significantly increase donations to its local Alameda County Community Food Bank in just a few months.
“One in four residents in our community is experiencing hunger or is on the brink of hunger,” said the Alameda County Community Food Bank, which distributes food to 400 food pantries and other nonprofits in California's Bay Area. “Divert and Safeway share our commitment to addressing food insecurity and working toward a hunger-free community. Our work with these incredible partners has had a significant impact on increasing food donations, helping us provide nearly one million meals to our community every week. Together, we are working toward a more nourished Alameda County, where no child or adult has to worry about where their next meal is coming from.”
Divert's field teams work closely with Safeway and Alameda County Community Food Bank employees, including implementing waste reduction and food recovery strategies tailored to the store's operational needs. At the start of the program, Divert analyzed Safeway's current donation performance and then used Divert's proprietary data to discover new opportunities for waste reduction. Divert's diversion specialists can identify and foster collaborative initiatives between Safeway and its donation partners, creating customized optimization playbooks to help bolster food recovery efforts. Working together, Divert and Safeway can strategically execute campaigns in stores with the highest potential for food recovery within each division and continually measure performance to track progress.
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“To truly impact the food waste crisis, we need to work together across the value chain,” said Ben Cuse Oakes, vice president of Customer Solutions & Success at Divert. “Safeway is at the forefront of this effort, showing Californians how they can effectively combine technology, infrastructure and policy to dramatically reduce organic waste and get food to communities in need.”
These results from Divert's implementation of an optimization solution in collaboration with Safeway were seen in select stores in their Northern California division. The program continues to expand to other stores and regions where there is the greatest opportunity. To learn how the optimization solution helped Safeway reduce waste and increase donations, download the full case study here.
About Divert, Inc.
Divert, Inc. is an impact technology company whose mission is to Protect the Value of Food™. Founded in 2007, the company is building advanced technology and sustainable infrastructure to eliminate food waste and drive social and environmental impact. Divert provides end-to-end solutions that maximize food freshness to prevent waste, recover edible food to serve communities in need, and convert waste food into renewable energy. The company works with over 6,600 customer locations across the United States to reduce food waste and positively impact people and the environment. The company's customer base spans multiple industries and includes five Fortune 100 companies. For more information about Divert, Inc., please visit www.divertinc.com.
About Safeway
Safeway is one of the best-known grocery retail brands with a long-standing reputation for quality and service, proudly serving Northern California since 1926. Currently, the company operates 290 stores across four brands in Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii, including Androniko's, Safeway, Pak n Save and Vons. In 2023, Safeway's Northern California division donated more than $40 million in food and financial assistance to charities in the areas it serves. Safeway is a division of Albertsons Companies.
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Caroline Legge
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Wendy Gutshall
(925) 467-3523
wendygutshall@safeway.com
