In the fast-paced world of restaurant and grocery retail, businesses seek innovative solutions to improve sustainability and operational efficiency.
The partnership between Rubicon, a company that builds AI-enabled technology products and provides expert sustainability solutions to waste generators, fleet operators and material processors, and Scraps, Denver, Colorado’s premiere local composting service, is a compelling example of how collaboration can bring tangible benefits to these businesses. This alliance has enabled Scraps to expand from focusing on residential buildings to becoming a key player in the commercial sector, particularly benefiting businesses like restaurants and grocery stores.
Understanding the pivotal role of grocery stores in community health and environmental impact, this article explores how the Rubicon-Scraps partnership is not just transforming waste management in Denver but also providing a model for grocery stores nationwide to follow for impactful and responsible waste management.
The Rubicon effect
Scraps began its journey nearly seven years ago with a focus on servicing apartments, condos and multi-family units in downtown Denver. Over time, the business expanded geographically and diversified its customer base, now catering primarily to commercial businesses, including everything from local coffee shops to corporate restaurant chains and grocery stores.
This growth was driven largely by their partnership with Rubicon, which was pivotal for Scraps and opened doors to major commercial clients, significantly boosting their service reach. It has not only expanded Scraps’ customer base but has also strengthened its operational capabilities.
Corporate responsibility and education
Scraps’ service expansion has been especially beneficial for restaurants and grocery stores, where waste is predominantly compostable. It has proved to be an ‘easy win’ in that it not only contributes to environmental sustainability but also offers financial benefits through reduced trash bills.
Larger restaurants and grocery stores, especially those with headquarters in states like California where sustainability goals are mandatory, find that aligning with Rubicon and Scraps helps them meet their corporate responsibility objectives. This underscores the growing recognition of composting as not just an environmentally responsible choice, but a necessary one, regardless of local mandates or cost implications.
Scraps emphasizes educating its clients on proper composting practices including required training sessions for commercial customers, addressing the basics of composting and guidelines on acceptable materials for compost bins. This approach is vital in promoting awareness and correct composting practices.
The evolution and impact of composting
The partnership with Rubicon has been a cornerstone of Scraps’ growth, and for good reason. Christi Turner, Founder and CEO of Scraps, said during a recent interview “I have no idea how we could have broken into [markets] without our partnership with Rubicon. For a company of our size [...] we’ve been able to have that open communication to help us to be a player in this market.”
Tom Dodd, Director of Operations at Scraps, highlighted the significant increase in their diversion rate over the years, partly attributed to the materials diverted by Rubicon members: “As the years go on, we are doubling our diversion rate. Our Rubicon members have a lot to do with that with the amount of material they have been diverting.”
See the full video from which these interviews were taken below:
Commercial customers are starting to realize the tangible impact of their waste diversion efforts, emphasizing that their actions go beyond mere disposal to making a real environmental difference.
The partnership between Rubicon and Scraps shows how large-scale expertise and local entrepreneurial spirit can create a powerful force for sustainable change in waste management. While Rubicon brings its nationwide capabilities and technological prowess, Scraps contributes local insights and a commitment to community-focused service. Together, they are not just transforming waste management in Denver but also setting an example of how collaborations can lead to meaningful environmental change.
Rubicon is the smartest way to manage waste and recycling at scale. Whether you have 10 locations or 10,000, we are the answer for multi-location businesses that need an all-in-one waste and recycling solution. Find out more at rubicon.com/enterprises.
