Ikea launches food scrap recycling pilot

Ikea U.S. and Vanguard Renewables, a company that specializes in organic recycling, announced the ​​launch of a food waste collection pilot that gives new life to food scraps and furthers the retailer’s goal of zero organic food waste by 2030, Chain Store Age reports.

Vanguard Renewables will collect the food waste from Ikea restaurants and convert it into renewable natural gas and low-carbon fertilizer for local agriculture through a proprietary anaerobic digestion process. The pilot launched this month at five Ikea stores in New Haven, Conn., Stoughton, Mass., Schaumburg and Bolingbrook, Ill., and Oak Creek, Wis.

“At Ikea, we see food waste as an opportunity, not a challenge,” said Javier Quinones, CEO & chief sustainability officer at Ikea U.S. “This innovative pilot is about embracing creative solutions that turn waste into value. By recycling food scraps into energy and nutrients, we can minimize our environmental footprint while maximizing the impact of every meal served.”

Each unit is expected to divert around 250 pounds of waste per week, equating to over 32,000 pounds over the course of the six-month pilot. Ikea says it has plans to expand the program and continue the effort with additional units after the pilot.

The pilot is just the latest sustainability effort from the retailer. Last year, Ikea increased the number of eligible products for its Buy Back & Resell program, and grew the total number of EV chargers at available at its locations. It also boosted zero-emission deliveries in the U.S. by more than 90% since fiscal year 2023.

“This pilot is just the beginning for our food waste journey,” said Paul Flite, food manager at Ikea U.S. “Not only are we keeping food waste out of landfills and improving operational efficiency, but we’re excited to be supporting local farmers and agriculture across the U.S. to further our goal of creating a better everyday life for the many.”

Ingka Group, a strategic partner in the Ikea franchise system, operates 375 Ikea stores in 30 countries, including 51 retail stores and 17 Plan & Order points with Pick-Up locations in the U.S.