rethinking food waste

how superfoods are feeding sheep and enriching compost in richmond, ca

Like most companies, we have waste that we want to divert from the landfill. So we partnered with two local farms: Sunnyside Organic Seedlings and EcoVillage Farm. Just this year, Nutiva has sent over 8 tons of left over organic material from our manufacturing processes to these farms. This enables us to reuse a significant portion of our food waste and reduce the burden on the landfills. The farms use the organic material to feed animals and enrich compost piles, creating healthy, fertile soil.

This kind of partnership exemplifies a sustainable business solution that takes into consideration minimizing our impact on the environment, improving the social welfare of our neighbors, and saving money by avoiding costly landfill fees. This triple bottom line characterizes sustainable business and drives us to continually do business better.

As part of our commitment to sustainability, we launched an initiative in 2014 to significantly reduce waste at our headquarters and warehouse in Richmond. On average, 47% of corporate materials sent to landfills could be diverted for reuse or recycling. A large portion of this material is organic and can be used to create nutrient rich compost at a nearby garden or commercial composting facility. Richmond, CA has an abundance of urban farms and gardens and at Nutiva we also maintain our own small edible garden.

At Sunnyside Organic Seedlings, sheep munch on Nutiva hempseeds. The farm has also been experimenting with a mixture using Nutiva coconut flour to feed fish in their aquaponics system. Local birds flock to containers of Nutiva chia seeds. The benefits to the environment from this exchange are notable. Nutiva’s superfoods are full of healthy omega fatty acids and protein, providing a rich diet for animals and vital nutrients for soil.

While the sheep get full from nutrient-rich hempseeds and neighbors form new friendships and business partnerships, we can’t forget about the overwhelming economic sense of it all. Waste disposal can be expensive on a commercial scale but the farms benefit too, as they save on animal feed and a valuable soil amendment. Overall, the profitable and rewarding path of sustainability that Nutiva has embarked on provides a better way to do business, and it’s something we can feel good about. Learn more about our commitment to sustainability by reading our 2013 Social & Environmental Responsibility Report.