INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association) has partnered with organic recycling company Denali to help INFRA鈥檚 purchasing cooperative of nearly 360 natural food and wellness retailers collect and recycle surplus food. According to ReFED, in 2023, the U.S. generated about 91.2 million tons of surplus food with nearly 50% going to landfill, incineration and down the drain. Of this 91.2 million tons, about 4.45 million is attributed to retail, with about 30% of retail waste going to landfill. As food in landfills decomposes, it emits greenhouse gas and contributes to ongoing climate issues.
As the leading provider of innovative recycling and organic waste diversion programs for grocery stores of all sizes, Denali unlocks the value of unused organic materials, transforming it into compost, natural fertilizer, and animal feed.聽鈥淢aking a positive impact on the environment is important to our members, who pride themselves on being a valuable resource in the communities they serve,鈥� said Rachel Comeaux, INFRA鈥檚 business programs manager. 鈥淒enali is the perfect partner to help our members with operational efficiencies while achieving their sustainability goals.鈥�
Denali leverages its innovative de-packaging technology to quickly and easily separate packaging from all types of food and beverages, making the unconsumed food recycling process more efficient for grocery retailers who do this manually.聽鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to work with INFRA and bring its members exceptional service and solutions to help fuel the circular economy,鈥� said Eric Speiser, Denali鈥檚 chief revenue officer.
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