All News Releases By Date

SUPERVALU food recovery efforts garner National Waste Wise Award

Release Date: 12/21/2011
Contact Information: Ashley Zanolli, EPA Office of Air, Waste and Toxics, 206-553-4425, [email protected] Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-1203, [email protected]

(Seattle – Dec. 21, 2011) SUPERVALU, Inc. received the 2011 National Waste Wise Award Honorable Mention for the company’s exceptional commitment to food recovery. SUPERVALU, a grocery retail and pharmacy company that includes stores like Albertsons, Shoppers, Jewel-Osco, and Shaw’s, made waste reduction and recycling a priority in 2010. The store added a new full-time position dedicated to implementing a successful waste diversion program for the company.

In 2010, SUPERVALU worked with Feeding America to donate edible, but unsellable, food to food banks, diverting more than 30,000 tons of food from the landfill and avoiding more than $2.5 million in landfill costs. In addition, SUPERVALU continues to provide leadership and make significant steps toward achieving their ambitious waste reduction and sustainability goals. EPA is currently working with SUPERVALU to identify and share best practices across the grocery sector through EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge, which SUPERVALU recently joined.

"SUPERVALU is a demonstrated leader in sustainable food management,” said Jim Werntz, EPA Operations Director for Idaho. “In 2010, the company diverted over 60 million pounds of food that would have gone to landfills, and instead it went to feed hungry Americans. SUPERVALU's efforts towards sustainable food management not only benefit people and the earth, they are good for the company's bottom line."

"SUPERVALU and all its banners are focused on driving toward zero waste to get Triple Bottom Line results--Good for People, Planet and Profits,” said Pete Pearson, SUPERVALU’s Director of Sustainability and National Accounts. “We are proud to have the EPA as a partner to collaborate with in our endeavors to drive culture change throughout our enterprise."

Earlier this year, SUPERVALU was recognized by EPA’s GreenChill program for their efforts to green up refrigeration in their stores. SUPERVALU sought out every opportunity to stop refrigerant leaks and achieve the company’s ambitious voluntary emissions reduction goal.

How much money and food is your organization literally throwing away?

For more information on how to save money, support your community and protect the environment, join EPA's Food Recovery Challenge: www.epa.gov/foodrecoverychallenge

To automatically receive Region 10 News Releases, subscribe via email at: http://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=USEPA_C19