Philadelphia, PA, October, 2023- In September, the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) in partnership with Sharing Excess, the National Resources Defense Council and others, welcomed nine local food businesses to participate in their brand new Food Saver Challenge. The goal is to bring attention to and decrease the amount of food waste that occurs in the city, which makes up about 20% of Philadelphia’s waste stream.
During the six-month challenge, the participating businesses (High Fidelity Bakery, Old City Coffee, Reading Terminal Market, Philly Foodworks, Mariposa Food Co-op, Bar Hygge, Crust Vegan Bakery, LUHV FOOD and the Philadelphia Catering Company) are working to reduce food waste, redistribute food and divert landfill waste. For their performance, they’ll earn points toward a $5,000 prize and the title of “Food Saver Champion.”
Each business is taking their own approach to the challenge. Old City Coffee has been prioritizing composting, among many other methods, to achieve their goals, says Ruth Isaac Treatman, the owner of Old City Coffee.
“We have been composting with Bennett Compost for years, encouraging customers to use reusable cups with a discount, offer discounts to reuse coffee bags and cups, use FSC certified paper for cups, and source carefully,” says Isaac Treatman. “We are also working on upcycling the by-product of our chai and questioning expiration dates — but always stay within the health code guidelines.”
Milka, a representative from Philly Foodworks, an online local food market, expressed how meaningful the Food Saver Challenge is for both city residents and local farmers.
“We’re excited to take part in SBN’s Food Saver Challenge for the next six months and show how a zero-waste food system is possible,” said Milka. “At Philly Foodworks, the food that can’t be donated is sent to our local composter in Honey Brook, PA, to be composted. It’s then used by the farmers we work with to provide healthier fertilizer and soil for the crops. It truly is a full circle process.”
The challenge is not only for small sustainable businesses, but also large businesses that prioritize sustainability in their practices, like Reading Terminal Market which is emphasizing the importance of food accessibility during the challenge.
“Reading Terminal Market is thrilled to participate in the Sustainable Business Network’s Food Saver Challenge. Our hope is to build on our goal to rescue and divert as much as we can from the waste stream,” says Layla El Tannir, Reading Terminal Market’s Director of Business Development. “This is also an opportunity to experiment with additional sustainable practices to support our 70-plus small, family-owned businesses and the greater Philadelphia community.”
While only one business will claim the title “Food Saver Champion” and the $5,000 prize, each participant is fighting for food accessibility for 250,000 Philadelphians and sustainable practices over the next six months.
