Divert (company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Impact technology, Food waste management, Renewable energy |
| Predecessor | Feed Resource Recovery |
| Founded | June 1, 2007 in West Concord, Massachusetts, United States |
| Founder | Ryan Begin, Nick Whitman |
| Headquarters | West Concord , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Ryan Begin (CEO), Nick Whitman (COO) |
| Products | Food waste recycling technology, anaerobic digestion facilities, renewable energy solutions |
Number of employees | 250+ (2022) |
| Parent | Ara Partners |
Divert, Inc. is a US-based impact technology firm dedicated to eradicating food waste and developing sustainable infrastructure aimed at minimizing environmental and social consequences. The company assists grocery retailers in achieving United Nations and US targets to reduce food waste by half by the year 2030.
Established in June 2007 in West Concord, Massachusetts, by founders Ryan Begin (CEO) and Nick Whitman (COO), Divert underwent a rebranding in 2016. By 2022, the workforce had grown to over 250 employees supporting 5,500 retail outlets across the country. As of May 2024, Divert’s network expanded to 6,600 client locations nationwide, having processed upwards of 2.3 billion pounds of food waste since its founding.
The company’s operational model combines cutting-edge technology with eco-friendly systems to transform discarded food into renewable energy. This approach has positioned Divert as a prominent figure in the food waste management sector, boasting considerable market presence and strong growth prospects.
History and funding
Originally launched as Feed Resource Recovery in June 2007 by Ryan Begin and Nick Whitman in Burlington, Massachusetts, the company was created to tackle food waste processing challenges. In April 2012, Divert collaborated with Kroger to establish a $20 million anaerobic digestion plant servicing 330 stores located in Compton, California. Later, in 2016, they partnered with Stop & Shop to open a second anaerobic digestion facility in Freetown, Massachusetts.
In 2021, Ara Partners—a global private equity firm specializing in industrial decarbonization—acquired Divert. This transaction included $100 million in growth capital from Ara Partners, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, and Ontario Power Generation. By October 2022, Divert secured a decade-long renewable natural gas (RNG) purchase agreement with bp valued at about $175 million. Through this contract, bp will acquire RNG produced at three Divert sites, potentially reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 36,905 metric tons annually.
By late 2022, Divert had expanded its footprint by adding over 1,500 new retail locations, bringing the total to nearly 5,400 stores with another 1,000 contracted for rollout in 2023. In January 2023, Nicholas Bertram—previously president of The Giant Company and CEO of Flashfood—joined Divert’s advisory board as an inaugural member.
In March 2023, Divert announced a $1 billion infrastructure development partnership with Enbridge Inc., accompanied by $100 million in growth equity investments from Enbridge and Ara Partners. These funds are intended to support the nationwide expansion of anaerobic digesters designed to convert surplus food into renewable energy.
April 2023 saw the commencement of construction on Divert’s Turlock facility in California, projected to handle 100,000 tons of food waste annually upon becoming operational in 2024. California State Treasurer Fiona Ma emphasized the project’s contribution to state climate objectives and compliance with organic waste regulations.
In September 2023, Divert initiated construction on its inaugural Washington state facility located in Longview. This plant is anticipated to transform 100,000 tons of food waste sourced from Washington and Oregon into carbon-negative renewable energy each year.
Products and services
Divert utilizes innovative technologies combined with sustainable infrastructure solutions to address food waste challenges. The company provides technology platforms, logistics support, and anaerobic digestion facilities that enable US food retailers to achieve their sustainability goals. Employing RFID technology allows retailers to track monthly food waste data efficiently. Central to Divert’s approach is anaerobic digestion—a process where unsold food is separated from packaging materials and converted into renewable energy.
As of February 2024, Divert operates thirteen facilities distributed across twenty-five states and processed more than 384 million pounds of waste during 2023. Additionally, the company increased its food donation efforts by an extra 200,000 meals compared to the previous year.
Customers and partnerships
As of May 2024, Divert was supporting over 6,600 locations across the United States, including prominent retailers such as Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons, Target, CVS, Kroger, and Safeway.
In June 2022, Divert introduced a food waste recycling initiative in collaboration with Giant Food, a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize. This program is currently operational in 165 stores throughout Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. By July 2023, this alliance had recycled more than 30.8 million pounds of food waste, resulting in the avoidance of roughly 1,400 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, Divert partners with food banks and recovery organizations including the Central California Food Bank, Feeding America Riverside San Bernardino, and Second Harvest of the Greater Valley. From 2018 through April 2023, Divert provided close to eight million pounds of food to the Central California Food Bank. On the West Coast, CVS locations play a key role by contributing approximately 400 large bins on a weekly basis.
In April 2024, Kroger announced that it had met its "Zero Hunger, Zero Waste" target two years earlier than planned by implementing food waste recycling programs in 95% of its stores.