Food waste continues to be a pressing global issue, contributing to 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste is a significant environmental burden in the US alone, with an estimated 30-40% of the food supply being discarded annually. The food industry, however, is taking critical steps to address this challenge through innovative partnerships and sustainable practices.
A prime example of such a collaboration is the partnership between HelloFresh, the nation’s leading meal kit provider, and Denali, a full-service recycler of organic materials. Together, they have successfully diverted millions of pounds of food waste in Phoenix, creating a model for circular economy practices.
The collaboration between HelloFresh and Denali began in 2023. It targets the pre-consumer food waste generated at HelloFresh’s Goodyear and Phoenix, Arizona, facilities. By repurposing this waste into valuable products like compost and animal feed, the partnership prevents waste from ending in landfills and promotes sustainability within the agricultural sector.
HelloFresh’s Senior Director of Sustainability, Jeff Yorzyk, highlights the company's broader mission: "At HelloFresh, we are on a mission to create a more sustainable food system. 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.”
Denali’s role in the partnership is bolstered by its state-of-the-art depackaging technology, which cleanly separates food waste from packaging materials like plastic, cardboard, and other contaminants. This automated process replaces the traditional, labor-intensive methods of food waste separation, allowing for a more efficient and scalable recycling process. The logistics are handled by Innovative Waste Recycling (IWR), a national waste management firm that specializes in sustainable waste solutions.
Once the food waste is separated, Denali mixes the organic material with green waste—such as lawn clippings and tree limbs—to create nutrient-rich compost. The resulting compost is distributed to farms and gardens in the Phoenix area, enriching local agriculture and creating a full-circle solution. This process produces more than 20,000 tons of compost each year, enough to fill one million one-cubic-foot retail bags of soil.
Denali also repurposes food waste into animal feed, offering a sustainable alternative for local farmers. By redirecting these resources, the partnership supports the health of Arizona’s agricultural ecosystem, minimizing the need for new landfill capacity and reducing society’s reliance on fossil fuels.
By the end of 2024, the HelloFresh-Denali collaboration will have diverted approximately 4 million pounds of food waste from Phoenix landfills. This milestone is not just a victory for waste management; it also represents a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The diversion prevents an estimated 1,307 tons of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere, comparable to the emissions from driving more than 1.5 million miles in a gasoline-powered vehicle.
These efforts are part of a broader strategy to revolutionize how food waste is managed. "HelloFresh is an innovator in disrupting the traditional food supply chain with its sustainable business model," says Ilia Kostov, Denali’s Chief Revenue Officer. "Denali is proud to be their recycling partner in Arizona where our collaboration demonstrates the potential to revolutionize how we recycle inedible food for the benefit of communities and the planet."
As the world grapples with the environmental impact of food waste, innovative collaborations like the one between HelloFresh and Denali offer a glimpse into a more sustainable future. By aligning with waste management experts and leveraging cutting-edge technology, HelloFresh continues to push the boundaries of sustainability, setting a benchmark for the broader food industry.
Moreover, consumers now have the option to purchase products like compost created from this food waste, further extending the circular economy and giving shoppers a tangible way to support sustainability efforts. The availability of these products not only reduces the environmental footprint but also builds awareness around the critical issue of food waste.
The HelloFresh-Denali partnership represents a scalable solution to one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. This collaboration demonstrates the power of a circular economy in fostering ecological stewardship by diverting millions of pounds of food waste from landfills and repurposing it into valuable resources for agriculture.
