Chicago-based supermarket chain Mariano’s is not just writing down its food waste but reallocating much of it to produce sustainable energy and agricultural benefits.
Mariano’s has worked with Chicago environmental and biofuels group Green Era Campus to recycle 1 million pounds of food waste into renewable energy and compost. The program began two years at Mariano’s Evergreen Park location and now is also at its Oak Lawn store.
Mariano’s, which is mostly owned by Kroger, is taking unsold or inedible waste food items and sending to the Green Era Campus anaerobic digester to convert into biofuels. Some of the waste food is turned into nutrient-rich compost to support local food production and green spaces.
These moves also eliminate the need to send the food waste into landfills.
"There is no waste here; we are recirculating the energy. For a grocery store chain to be shifting this waste to renewable energy is huge, and we are so proud to have Green Era be a part of it," said Erika Allen, CEO of Urban Growers Collective and Co-Founder of Green Era Campus, in a statement.
The program which started with one store and then two is now expanding to eight others, including West Loop, South Loop, Bridgeport, Edgewater, Ukrainian Village, New City and Lakeshore East locations.
Operationally Mariano's has taken several steps in stores to minimize waste, including mark-down programs and donating to local food pantries like the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois food banks. Green Era also accepts packaged food waste for recycling, enabling a wider range of materials to be diverted from landfill and repurposed sustainability.
"Mariano's has been a true innovator in organics recycling and sustainability, showing that packaged food waste can be diverted easily, affordably, and responsibly. Together, we're transforming food waste into renewable energy, nutrient-rich compost, and fresh food—advancing environmental stewardship while supporting smart, streamlined business operations. It's a win for both the planet and the bottom line," said Jason Feldman, CEO of Green Era.
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One million pounds of food waste diverted is the equivalent of filling 30 large dump trucks end to end, according to the release. It also avoids close to one million pounds of carbon emissions, about the same as taking 116 internal-combustion-engine vehicles off the road for a year. Future Market Insights estimated that the value of food waste-to-energy could top $17 billion this year in the U.S.
Anaerobic digestion uses microorganisms to break down biodegradable materials such as food, agricultural and plant waste to produce biogas or even pipeline-quality biomethane.
Mariano’s was founded in 2010 in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Kroger acquired the brand and stores in 2015 but sold a number of them two years ago as it unsuccessfully worked to get federal approval for its merger with Albertson’s.
