IKEA U.S., a part of Ingka Group, is already piloting Vanguard Renewablesâ food waste diversion service in five retail locations in Wisconsin, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Food waste from store Restaurants, Bistros and Swedish Food Markets â including leftovers from customer meals and unsellable packaged goods â is collected in dedicated containers, transported weekly to one of the companyâs anaerobic digesters, and processed into renewable natural gas and low-carbon fertilizer for local agriculture.
âAt IKEA, we see waste as a resource. With Vanguard Renewables, weâre turning our restaurant and Swedish Food Marketâs food waste into renewable energy and fertilizer. After reducing our pre-consumer waste by close to 50% over the last seven years, the equivalent of saving 83,000 meals, we are excited about the next step. This partnership will make every plate count while improving our operational efficiency,â says Javier Quinones, IKEA U.S. CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer.
Following the pilot, IKEA U.S. plans to expand the program to additional stores and locations nationwide, minimizing landfill waste and creating a scalable model for more sustainable food retail operations. This will contribute to Ingkaâs objective to reduce operational waste and strive to recycle 100% of waste generated in our own operations by 2030.
âVanguard Renewables is on a mission to divert unavoidable food waste from landfills and give it a second life as renewable energy,â said Michael OâLaughlin, CEO of Vanguard Renewables. âWeâre proud to partner with Ingka to scale innovative food waste recycling solutions for retail supply partners like IKEA and deliver measurable progress toward a more sustainable future.â
Globally, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted annually, contributing to 8-10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. In the U.S. alone, of the food supply is wasted each year, with much of it ending up in landfills. (World Resources Institute, 2023). âAddressing our food waste challenge is not just good business, itâs essential for a livable future. This investment in Vanguard Renewables aligns with Ingka Groupâs broader ambition to invest EUR 1 billion in scalable circular solutions across the value chain that address global challenges and build a sustainable infrastructure,â says Peter van den Poel, Managing Director of Ingka Investments.
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