COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Hannaford Supermarkets announced that all of their 183 stores are diverting or donating all food that would go to waste, making them a leader in sustainability among grocers.

Food that is still good to eat, but that Hannaford can no longer sell in the store, is given to local food pantries. Then, food that isn’t good for people to eat anymore is given to farmers to feed their animals. The rest goes to food-waste recycling company Agri-Cycle, which works with processing partners to turn the waste into renewable energy.

Through this system, Hannaford touts being the first large-scale grocery retailer in New York and New England to send no food waste to landfills.

  • Hannaford-Zero-Food-Waste-1
    Hannaford Supermarkets Director of Operations Andy Willette discusses the retailer’s food waste management process. Hannaford announced that each of its 183 stores donates or diverts all food at risk of going to waste, meaning the retailer sends no food at all to landfills. The accomplishment makes Hannaford the first large-scale grocery retailer across its New England and New York market to meet this goal. (Hannaford)
  • Hannaford-Zero-Food-Waste-2
    Hannaford Supermarkets Store Manager Jessica Cucchi discusses the retailer’s strategic product ordering and management process. The process is part of a multi-pronged approach by Hannaford to donate or divert all food at risk of going to waste. (Hannaford)
  • Hannaford-Zero-Food-Waste-3
    A driver with food waste recycling company Agri-Cycle Energy picks up compost bins filled with food waste at the Hannaford location at 900 Central Avenue in Albany, NY. Hannaford works with Agri-Cycle to turn food unsuitable for human and animal consumption into energy as part of its adherence to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Food Recovery Hierarchy. (Hannaford)

“If we can if we can make it work in the middle of all of the pressures, and the day-to-day that we all faced last year, the system was working and we designed it well,” said Andy Willette, Director of Operations for Hannaford.

“It’s allowed not just Hannaford locations to divert food waste from landfills, but all of their neighbors,” said Holden Cookson, Sustainable Waste Solutions Manager for Agri-Cycle.

Hannaford’s sustainability initiative donates to a number of local food banks, including the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.