Giant Food, Divert Process 30.8M+ Lbs. of Wasted Food in 1st Year of Collaboration

Grocer makes strides in decarbonization, food waste prevention, food recovery

7/25/2023

Giant Food and Divert's wasted-food recycling program has expanded to all 165 Giant stores across Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.-area grocery store chain Giant Food and impact technology company Divert Inc. have processed more than 30.8 million pounds of wasted food in the first year of their collaboration, mitigating almost 1,400 metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions (GHG).

“We recognize our responsibility as a leader in the grocery space to make a positive impact on the environment and tackle waste reduction,” said Diane Hicks, Giant Food’s SVP of operations. “We’re proud of the success of our collaboration with Divert thus far and look forward to continuing our work together and expanding our efforts toward a healthier planet.”

[Read more: “Winning the Food Waste Battle”]

In June 2022, Giant and Divert launched a wasted-food recycling program to reduce the amount of organic waste going to landfill. Under the program Giant’s stores mark down, repurpose or donate unsold and still edible food to local food banks whenever possible. With regard to food that can’t be repurposed or donated, Divert can recycle it and recoup its value by processing the wasted food into renewable energy.

The collaboration has expanded to all 165 Giant stores across Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington, D.C., processing on average 500 pounds of wasted food daily per store. This initiative, aided by Divert’s diversion technology, has helped the grocer further its decarbonization, food waste prevention and food recovery efforts.

“Wasted food is a major contributor to greenhouse-gas emissions and can cost the average grocery store about $40,000 in lost profit daily,” noted Ryan Begin, CEO and co-founder of West Concord, Mass.-based Divert. “Giant Food shares our commitment to tackling these issues through wasted food prevention and food donations that benefit our environment, communities and ultimately, retailers’ bottom lines. Through our ongoing collaboration with Ahold Delhaize USA and Giant Food, true sustainability leaders in the retail industry, we are eager to accelerate our impact together in the coming years.”

Giant and Divert plan to expand their partnership in the next year to further increase diversion and donation efforts for the grocer’s divisions.

Giant Food operates 165 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia with approximately 20,000 associates. Included within its stores are 153 full-service pharmacies and 29 Starbucks locations. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century and its 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.