Whole Foods to install smart food waste bins from Mill starting in 2027

In a significant move towards sustainability, food waste startup Mill announced on Tuesday that it has secured a partnership with Amazon to introduce its smart waste bins in Whole Foods produce sections nationwide, starting in 2027. This initiative is backed by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, which has also chosen to invest in Mill, although the specific investment amount remains undisclosed. According to a report from Axios, Mill has successfully raised $250 million to date, highlighting the growing concern over food waste in the grocery sector. A staggering 10% of all food, totaling approximately 43 billion pounds each year, is wasted by U.S. grocery stores, as revealed by a study conducted in 2014. For an industry that often operates on razor-thin profit margins, the disposal of even a single pound of produce represents a lost opportunity and contributes to the overall carbon footprint of stores. Mill aims to leverage its technology-laden bins to collect valuable data that could aid Whole Foods in minimizing food waste. The innovative bins will process discarded produce by dehydrating and grinding it, ultimately transforming the waste into chicken feed, which will then be supplied to Whole Foods’ private label egg producers. This initiative not only addresses the pressing issue of food waste but also promotes a circular economy within the grocery business.