Meijer Hits Major Food Diversion Milestone

Grocer diverts 10 million pounds of potential food waste through Flashfood app

10/3/2023

Meijer has become the first U.S. retailer to save 10 million pounds of potential food waste from going to the landfill through the Flashfood app.

Through its partnership with Flashfood, Meijer has successfully diverted 10 million pounds of potential food waste from the landfill. Meijer is the first retailer nationwide to reach the milestone through its customers' use of the Flashfood app.

The food retailer launched Flashfood as a pilot program in November 2019 and is now utilizing the app, which offers deep discounts on groceries nearing their sell-by dates, in its entire fleet of supercenters and grocery stores. Flashfood found that the most purchased item from Meijer via the app is the retailer's produce box, as well as ground beef and Atlantic salmon.

"Food is at the core of what we do, and we're always looking for ways to cut down on landfill use because it's the right thing to do for our customers and communities," said Erik Petrovskis, director of environmental compliance and sustainability at Meijer. "Our partnership with Flashfood has already grown beyond our expectations, but this record achievement has us looking forward to the program's future growth."

According to Brody Slacer, head of partner growth at Flashfood, “Working with Meijer has given thousands of shoppers access to affordable, high-quality groceries while reducing the impact of retail food waste. A rare win-win for people and the planet."

In addition to its food diversion commitment, Meijer has undertaken a host of sustainability initiatives in recent years. The retailer has invested in renewable solar energy, EV chargers and also cleanups in the Great Lakes Region.

Privately owned Meijer operates 500-plus supercenters, Meijer Grocery, neighborhood markets and Express locations throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company is No. 23 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 Top 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.