An AI-powered food recycling system could turn Whole Foods food scraps into chicken feed, cutting waste volumes and the emissions tied to wasted food.
Food recycling at Whole Foods, what the new AI system does
A new food recycling technology powered by artificial intelligence is set to transform food scraps from the U.S. supermarket chain Whole Foods into chicken feed, supporting egg production. As Axios reported in an exclusive, the system could cut waste volumes by up to 80%, according to estimates from the startup Mill, which developed the technology. The approach could also reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to food waste, while saving Whole Foods significant money.
The scale of food waste
According to the United Nations, one in eleven people worldwide faces hunger. More precisely, about 735 million people are estimated to suffer from hunger globally. Yet every day, huge amounts of food are thrown away. Globally, nearly 13.2% of food produced is lost between harvest and retail. In households, food service, and retail, almost 19% of total global food production is wasted. Every day, food discarded at home alone is estimated to be equivalent to nearly one billion meals.
Food waste generates 8% to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions
Food waste is responsible for an estimated 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, opportunities to fund food waste reduction and low carbon diets remain largely untapped, with only about $0.1 billion invested annually in 2019 and 2020.
How AI can enable food recycling at scale
How does the new system work? A machine dehydrates and grinds food scraps, producing a material with a texture similar to coffee grounds. The output can be composted or used as chicken feed.
Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, and Mill plan to roll out the bins across Whole Foods stores by 2027. Built by Mill and equipped with artificial intelligence, the containers could allow Amazon, and potentially other supermarkets and restaurants in the future, to analyze in real time what is not being used and ends up wasted. “If all the croissants are being thrown away, maybe they should bake fewer,” Mill co-founder and CEO Matt Rogers told Axios.
Demand is rising for technologies that apply artificial intelligence in practical, operational ways, and other companies beyond Mill are also testing similar food recycling initiatives.
Rogers previously co-founded Nest, the smart thermostat company acquired by Google in 2014 for $3.2 billion. Mill is now positioning itself as a pioneer in converting food waste into animal feed. Until now, the company focused on homes and workplaces, selling a device roughly the size of a trash bin. It is now targeting large scale retail. Amazon is investing an undisclosed amount in Mill, which has raised a total of $250 million since its founding in 2020.
From a technical standpoint, the rollout is complex. Mill is working to overcome these challenges by ensuring the system can operate effectively inside commercial kitchens, providing real time, AI-driven analysis. The company also plans to begin engaging restaurants as its next customers.
