A partnership between meal kit provider HelloFresh and waste disposal and recycling company Denali could transform the food industry, with collaboration expected to prevent around four million pounds of food waste from entering Phoenix area landfills by the end of the year.
As detailed by Energy+Environment Leader, the companies teamed up to turn inedible food for humans into nutrient-rich compost and animal feed, providing a sustainable solution for farmers and reducing the need to expand dump sites to contain the waste.
Denali's innovative depackaging technology is a crucial piece of the puzzle, with the automated process less labor-intensive and more efficient than traditional methods — making it easier to scale up material recycling programs.
After separating the food from its packaging, Denali creates compost by mixing it with green waste like lawn trimmings or tree branches.
According to the report, the company has produced more than 20,000 tons of compost annually since the partnership began in 2023. A press release revealed that consumers and shoppers can also purchase the compost for their own gardens.
All in all, the food-waste diversion program has prevented around 1,307 tons of carbon from entering the air — a number the media release explained is the equivalent of a gas-powered vehicle driving more than 1.5 million miles.
"Denali is proud to be their recycling partner in the state of Arizona, where our collaboration demonstrates the potential to revolutionize how we recycle inedible food for the benefit of communities and the planet," Denali chief revenue officer Ilia Kostov said in the press release.
"At HelloFresh, we are on a mission to create a more sustainable food system," added HelloFresh North America senior director of sustainability Jeff Yorzyk. "Denali enables us to repurpose inedible food and instead use it to feed animals and produce compost for gardens and other agricultural needs throughout Arizona.
"We are committed to further reducing food waste at all our U.S. processing centers and are grateful for partners like IWR and Denali who help us achieve these sustainable practices."
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