IKEA U.S., a part of Ingka Group, is already piloting Vanguard Renewables鈥� food waste diversion service in five retail locations in Wisconsin, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Food waste from store Restaurants, Bistros and Swedish Food Markets 鈥� including leftovers from customer meals and unsellable packaged goods 鈥� is collected in dedicated containers, transported weekly to one of the company鈥檚 anaerobic digesters, and processed into renewable natural gas and low-carbon fertilizer for local agriculture.
鈥淎t IKEA, we see waste as a resource. With Vanguard Renewables, we鈥檙e turning our restaurant and Swedish Food Market鈥檚 food waste into renewable energy and fertilizer. After reducing our pre-consumer waste by close to 50% over the last seven years, the equivalent of saving 83,000 meals, we are excited about the next step. This partnership will make every plate count while improving our operational efficiency,鈥� says Javier Quinones, IKEA U.S. CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer.
Following the pilot, IKEA U.S. plans to expand the program to additional stores and locations nationwide, minimizing landfill waste and creating a scalable model for more sustainable food retail operations.聽This will contribute to Ingka鈥檚 objective to reduce operational waste and strive to recycle 100% of waste generated in our own operations by 2030.
鈥淰anguard Renewables is on a mission to divert unavoidable food waste from landfills and give it a second life as renewable energy,鈥� said Michael O鈥橪aughlin, CEO of Vanguard Renewables. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to partner with Ingka to scale innovative food waste recycling solutions for retail supply partners like IKEA and deliver measurable progress toward a more sustainable future.鈥�
Globally, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted annually, contributing to 8-10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. In the U.S. alone, of the food supply is wasted each year, with much of it ending up in landfills. (World Resources Institute, 2023). 鈥淎ddressing our food waste challenge is not just good business, it鈥檚 essential for a livable future. This investment in Vanguard Renewables aligns with Ingka Group鈥檚 broader ambition to invest EUR 1 billion in scalable circular solutions across the value chain that address global challenges and build a sustainable infrastructure,鈥� says Peter van den Poel, Managing Director of Ingka Investments.
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