RTS and Rethink Food Announce Partnership to Prevent Food Waste and Address Food Insecurity
The two mission-driven organizations are teaming up to rescue excess food and provide meals to food-insecure families
May 31, 2022 – Rethink Food and Recycle Track Systems, Inc. (RTS) today announced a strategic and operational partnership to help divert viable excess food stock in New York City away from landfills and provide nutritious meals for the community.
Under the terms of the partnership, RTS, a leader in the waste and recycling management industry, will offer their clients the ability to send their excess food to Rethink Food, which will transform it into nutritious and culturally celebrated meals at its commissary kitchen. Meals will then be distributed by community-based organizations to food-insecure neighbors across the city.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rethink Food has provided over seven million meals to communities facing food insecurity which are distributed seven days a week across five cities (New York, Nashville, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami), and utilized 1.2 million pounds of excess and/or donated food.
Greg Lettieri, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of RTS, expressed his excitement about the partnership: “This partnership represents true collaboration between socially like-minded organizations. RTS has helped hundreds of customers reduce waste and divert materials like food scraps from landfills, and Rethink Food’s model has proven successful in using excess food from restaurants, kitchens, and corporations to serve millions of meals to people in need. Reducing waste and addressing food insecurity go hand in hand.”
“This is a clear demonstration of how innovation can ensure high-quality, nutritious food reaches those who need it without pumping more food into the food system,” said Matt Jozwiak, Founder and CEO of Rethink Food. “This program will provide a way for companies to operate more sustainably and support the communities in which they operate. We’re thrilled to partner with RTS on this impactful initiative.”
Both RTS and Rethink Food plan to begin the partnership in New York City and aim to expand it to other common markets of operation. Companies that participate will join Rethink Food’s network of partners throughout the food ecosystem – including restaurants, food establishments, and corporations – in receiving Rethink Certified designation, which indicates their commitment to incorporating community support into their daily operations to create a more sustainable and equitable food system.
RTS is a waste and recycling services provider that relies on proprietary technology and a cutting-edge sustainability vision to encourage transparency and waste reduction. RTS serves thousands of clients across the country, including hundreds of restaurants and hotels, and large office buildings, professional sports stadiums, universities, and municipalities. Recently, the company acquired Ambrosia, a Newark-based facility that repurposes food scraps into natural home cleaning solutions. In July, RTS secured $35 million in Series C Funding from an investor group led by Citigroup’s Impact Fund for sustainable investment.
In 2022, New York City is expected to roll out its new “Commercial Waste Zone” system for the hauling of business-generated trash, recyclables, and food scraps. RTS plans to service multiple Commercial Zones, and to encourage food donation through partnerships like this.
About Recycle Track Systems, Inc.
Recycle Track Systems, Inc. is pioneering a better way to manage waste and recycling. RTS combines technology with high-touch service to make waste disposal easier, smarter, and more responsible. From on-demand removal to fully integrated waste management solutions, RTS helps companies and municipalities easily track and optimize their pickups. Using data insight, RTS empowers clients with visibility into their waste habits and tangible figures on their climate impact to improve their waste and recycling practices. RTS is a certified B-Corporation, reflecting its dedication and commitment to meeting stringent standards of environmental transparency and performance. For more information, visit rts.com. For more information on zero waste, visit zerowaste.com.
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About Rethink Food
Founded in 2017, Rethink Food is a nonprofit with the mission to create a more sustainable and equitable food system–one where everyone has access to high-quality, nutritious, and affordable food.
As part of its flagship program called Rethink Certified, Rethink Food works with restaurants, kitchens, and corporations to prepare nutritious and culturally-celebrated meals for food-insecure communities. Rethink Food also operates a commissary kitchen that prepares 8,500 meals a week using a mix of purchased, donated, and excess food. Since April 2020, Rethink Food has provided over 7 million meals to local communities, used 1.2 million pounds of excess and/or donated food, directed over $30M to 115+restaurants and food establishments across New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Nashville, Washington D.C., and Miami, and partnered with 180+ community-based organizations to distribute meals. For more information, visit rethinkfood.org and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.