US-based fresh produce distributor Baldor Specialty Foods has revealed that it has diverted all organic waste generated in its Fresh Cuts operation from landfill.

The move was initiated as part of the companys SparCs food waste initiative, which was developed by Baldor’s Sustainability director Thomas McQuillan.

 The company processes more than one million pounds of produce each week and it was discarding a huge amount of usable food scraps during this process.

"We’re happy to present this sustainability model for others in the industry to adopt.”

McQuillan said: “We had to stop referring to these food products as waste. It’s food. Usable, nutritious and delicious food. We just needed to find ways to consume it.”

The SparCs programme uses a comprehensive approach to organic food waste, prioritising human consumption whenever possible.

The company has partnered with companies such as Washington DC’s MISFIT Juicery, who recover unsellable, blemished produce for cold-pressed juices.

It has also joined hands with Haven’s Kitchen, a Manhattan-based café and cooking school that recently developed a food line made up of Baldor’s SparCs such as soups, sauces and cookies.

Baldor CEO TJ Murphy said: “We pride ourselves on being innovators and trailblazers in all facets of speciality food distribution.

“SparCs is just the next logical manifestation of that commitment, and we’re happy to present this sustainability model for others in the industry to adopt.”

The company further explained that it will continue developing new ways to keep organic matter out of its waste stream, and is already working on plans to create a dried vegetable blend for soups, smoothies and baked goods.