Kroger starts up new anaerobic digester at KB Specialty Foods in US

US-based company Kroger has commenced a new anaerobic digester at its KB Specialty Foods manufacturing plant in Greensburg, Indiana.

This is the second anaerobic digester at the KB Speciality Foods plant.

KB Specialty Foods has been a Zero Waste facility since 2014. It has been diverting over 90% of waste annually generated from landfills.

Kroger group manufacturing vice-president Erin Sharp said: “Kroger recently announced its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative, an exciting plan to end hunger in the communities we call home and eliminate waste in our company by 2025.

“With 33 of our 36 plants already reaching the Zero Waste manufacturing goals we established several years ago, these facilities have pioneered the way for us to achieve our moonshot vision.”

With around 270 employees, KB Specialty Foods produces food products such as deli salads, cake icing and refrigerated side dishes at its Greensburg manufacturing plant.

According to the company, the new $9.5m anaerobic digester has the ability to capture biogas from food byproducts and convert it into energy through anaerobic digestion while also improving air quality.

Sharp further added: “We invested in the digester because it improves our sustainability performance, supports better air quality, and provides cost savings to the company.

“Once the digester is operating at its optimal level, we project it will have the capability to produce nearly 30% of the plant’s electricity.