Partnership Leverages Data-Driven Solutions and Expanding Infrastructure to Combat Food Insecurity Across the United States
Divert, Inc., an impact technology company focused on protecting the value of food, has partnered with Feeding America, the largest hunger relief organization in the U.S., to tackle food insecurity through data-driven solutions and sustainable infrastructure. This collaboration aims to enhance food donation processes and address the nationwide food waste issue.
Since 2018, Divert and Feeding America have collaborated with 13 major food retailers across 38 states, increasing food donations by up to 20%. The partnership leverages Divert’s proprietary technology and Feeding America’s MealConnect platform to streamline food recovery efforts, providing retailers with actionable insights to optimize donations and minimize waste.
With plans to expand its national infrastructure to 30 facilities, Divert is set to enhance its food recovery initiatives further. Feeding America’s extensive network of over 200 partner food banks will facilitate the distribution of recovered food, making these solutions accessible nationwide. According to the press release, the combination of these resources aims to solve the problem of unsold food at scale.
“Feeding America has been an incredible partner in our shared mission to address food insecurity,” said Ryan Begin, CEO and co-founder of Divert. “We have made significant progress together through improved data-driven programs to feed more people in need. With our Integrated Diversion & Energy Facilities expansion roadmap and Feeding America’s vast network of food banks and agency partners, we are uniquely positioned to rapidly scale our collective innovative solutions for retailers across the country.”
Divert collects detailed data on wasted food from retailers using their proprietary bins, while Feeding America’s MealConnect platform tracks donation data. This combination enables retailers to identify donation opportunities more accurately, enhancing food recovery efforts and reducing waste. In 2023 alone, Feeding America rescued over 2.11 billion pounds of food from retail sources, contributing to a total of 4.99 billion pounds of sourced food.
Feeding America distributed 5.3 billion meals in 2023 Image Credits: Feeding America
“Dedicated partnerships like this can help end hunger in America,” said Erika Thiem, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Feeding America. “Divert brings innovative, data-driven solutions; Feeding America brings a national network of food banks and distribution partners. In quickly scaling solutions with retailers, our work together will bring Feeding America closer to its goal of rescuing an additional one billion pounds of food annually.”
The U.S. faces a dual crisis of food waste and food insecurity, with over 63 million tons of food wasted annually while 44 million people, including one in five children, struggle with hunger. Feeding America reports that approximately 49 million people relied on food assistance in 2022, highlighting the urgent need for effective food recovery programs.
Existing food recovery initiatives face numerous challenges, including fragmented infrastructure and barriers to widespread adoption. Continued innovation and collaboration among organizations like Divert and Feeding America are crucial, especially in the context of rising food costs and the withdrawal of pandemic-related food support.
