While variety is the spice of life, in upcycing and recycling, variety poses a particularly unique and costly challenge.
Challenge
For one of the largest consumer food manufacturers in the United States, variety had created a giant pre-packaging problem. The food manufacturer produces a full range of packaged condiments, dressings, instant meals and just about anything for sale on a grocery store shelf. Because of the various package sizes (single-serve, multi-serve, household products, food service) and product consistencies (liquid, dry, semi-solid), the facility struggled to identify a sustainable solution. On account of its branded consumer packaging, the company also was concerned with supply chain security.
Solution
Green Field Solutions scoured the factory’s home state to identify better uses for the residual food product and its packaging. The team demonstrated the product’s nutritional properties, unlocking a greater value for the food product. It also conducted 15-20 truckloads of trials, vetting service providers and ensuring their ability to handle and de-package the material, including surges in offtake volume as needed. Building relationships enabled GFS to negotiate multi-year deals and long-term stability for the facility’s by-products. Additionally, GFS addressed the company’s supply chain concerns by providing a certificate of destruction upon the material’s transfer of ownership.
Results
Armed with an animal science competency and a solid understanding of a manufacturing facility’s service requirements and equipment needs, GFS created a competitive marketplace for the manufacturers’ by-product material. Now, its residual food products are upcycled into nutritious ingredients for animal feed; and its packaging is removed and recycled. As a result of higher-end applications and lower-priced offtake costs, the company now has a sustainable solution to its former pre-packaging problem.
