Publix Super Markets partners with Organic Recovery

[napi21]

Ever wonder what supermarkets do with those brown bananas or apples that have one too many bruises?

In the case of Publix, it will be recycled and turned into a high-power fertilizer.

The supermarket chain has partnered with Organic Recovery LLC, which debuted its first facility on Thursday in Pompano Beach, Fla.

The partnership works like this: Publix pays Organic Recovery to pick up the fruits, veggies, meats and bakery products that otherwise might end up in the dumpster. Organic Recovery turns it into liquid fertilizer, which is purchased by golf courses, homeowner associations and, eventually, individual homeowners.

The partnership is expected to increase Publix’s recycling rate by 25 to 30 percent in 33 stores. Organic Recovery’s goal is to serve all 84 Publix stores in Broward County by summer’s end.

Organic Recovery is planning two additional facilities in Lakeland, Fla., and Atlanta.

Lakeland-based Publix has 932 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee, including 140 stores in metro Atlanta.
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/08/04/daily116.html?f=et50&ana=e_du

I think this is a great idea! It always bothered me that so much food got thrown away when it becomes unsaleable. Good for Publix!

[aikoaiko]

1. I love Publix for their subs, bread, and sushi guys

[napi21]

2. Well, I don't know anything about their political affiliation, but I liked

this food recovery program, and I've talked to the local manager about what they do with out dated products IE: from the bakery. He told me he works with 8 different food banks locally and tries to contact a different one every time. He said he couldn't give away meats and things that could harm someone if they were outdated, but bakery, produce...things that are still good, just not saleable under Publix standards. I don't know about other grocery stores, but Publix seems to try to be a good corp. citizen. THey also have creat customer service...at least the stores near me! There's never been anything I've asked them to do that they said no.

[barbarella]

3. BUT....guess what's lurking in the shadows...

Publix is absolutely doing the right thing. But guess who has been planning to shut them down for over a year? Any ideas? Who stands to lose money if Publix recycles its garbage? Local city governments and the county, that's who! They've been trying to figure out how to stop Publix from "violating" their garbage scheme since 2007 after Publix approached them for partnerships - with which they refused to have anythign to do. The cities, Broward County, the Resource Recovery Board, and their contractors - Waste Management and Republic Services, are TICKED OFF and have been trying since May of last year to figure out how to stop it. That's why Publix had the governor attend their announcement - it was a way of telling the local governments Publix was willing to fight the county's garbage kick-back scheme masquerading as franchises and that the state government was behind them. Broward and its "ILA" cities have fought recycling efforts for decades and don't want anyone to recycle because it diverts garbage from the incinerators Waste Management owns and which the county forces everyone to use to the exclusion of all other disposal/recycling options. IT STINKS!

[Heidi]

4. Welcome to DU, barbarella!

Glad you're here. :hi: