Investing in Positive Impact - 2021 Report - The Kroger Co.
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Investing in Positive Impact 2021 Report
2 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report Letter from the President In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on what some have cautioned for years: our global food system and supply chain is fragile, disconnected and ripe for change. At The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation, our mission to help create communities free of hunger and waste has never been more critical. We believe we will solve these problems— directed new grants to select portfolio for others to join our journey. As we look together. The national discourse and companies in our first cohort to help scale forward, we will continue to leverage our urgency to “build back better” is inspiring much-needed solutions to provide more collective passion and expertise to help creative new solutions. We admire the food for people in need. create a more equitable and sustainable strength of our national and local partners Our goal is to help food produced today food system. and the can-do spirit of social entrepreneurs fulfill its highest purpose: feeding people. across the country who are driving change. As a Foundation, we do this by enabling In 2020, we were humbled to be able systems that transform surplus food into to serve others through our Emergency healthy meals; increasing access to capital COVID-19 Response Fund and other grants. for innovators doing the same; convening Denise Osterhues We shifted our plans for the Innovation thought leaders to advance equitable President, The Kroger Co. Fund’s second open call to 2021, and we food access for all; and offering easy ways Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
3 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report
Our Mission
Established in 2018, the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Our National Partners
Foundation is a non-profit public charity designed
to enable collective action, catalyze innovation
and create a more equitable food system for all.
We support organizations and innovators across
the country who share our vision of a world where Feeding America Foundation for Food & Agriculture
everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food and We support the Feeding America network of Research (FFAR)
food banks that help direct meals to families in
no surplus food is wasted. need. During 2020, Feeding America distributed
The Foundation supports FFAR, which helps fill
critical research gaps and invests in the future
6.1 billion meals (7.3 billion pounds of food), of science to support agriculture. By funding
achieving a 55% increase in the number of people pioneering research, FFAR aims to increase
served. Of the total, 40% received charitable food access to affordable and nutritious farm-grown
assistance for the first time. food by supporting public-private partnerships in
communities across the country.
Meals on Wheels America The Recycling Partnership
Meals on Wheels America wants all seniors to be Launched in 2020, The Recycling Partnership’s
nourished with independence and dignity. Their Polypropylene Recycling Coalition provides
mission is to empower local community programs catalytic grants to advance polypropylene
to improve seniors’ health and quality of life so recycling in the U.S. Polypropylene, sometimes
that no one is left hungry or isolated. In response referred to as No. 5 plastic, is used in food and
to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation’s non-food packaging and is in strong demand
support provided grants to local Meals on as a recycled material to be made into new
Wheels programs to feed and protect those products such as consumer packaging and
most vulnerable. automotive parts.
No Kid Hungry World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
No Kid Hungry wants all children to have the The Foundation supports WWF’s Wild Classroom
healthy food they need every day to thrive. Food Waste Warriors program, which teaches
With the Foundation’s support, No Kid Hungry students the connection between food production,
provides funds, training and hands-on technical food waste and habitat conservation. To date,
assistance to high-need schools. During the this program has reached 100 schools (including
COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign also provided 14 Title I and seven rural schools) and measured
technical support and grants to organizations nearly 20,000 pounds of food waste. During
across three states to enable emergency feeding the COVID-19 pandemic, the program shifted to
programs when schools closed. engage virtually and share at-home activities.
ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
4 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report
How We Invested in Communities
In 2020, the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation focused on our communities’
most urgent challenge: improving access to nutritious food for individuals and
families struggling with the pandemic’s economic impacts. We also directed
grants to support innovation and positive change for people and our planet.
Contributing to the
Capacity-building
Sustainable Development
Improve charitable
Goals (SDGs)
food system distribution
Food assistance
at national and
Provide food for a month
local levels
or more for vulnerable
$4.4M
individuals and communities
$1.7M
Improving Food
Access for All
$11.1M
Advocacy
2020 Improving stakeholder
Total Impact Advancing awareness and
Sustainable engagement in
$16.5M waste reduction
Food
$1.6M
Systems
$3.7M
$14.8M
in giving aligned with
Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
Other
Innovation 363
Advancing food system grants to organizations
change through
technology and innovation
$2.1M $9M
Pandemic relief in grants for national and local
Support partners scaling COVID-19 relief
school- and community-based
Other Giving
feeding programs during
stay-at-home restrictions
Supporting disaster relief $12M
efforts and other nonprofit in customer donations directed
$5M M = million to our communities
organizations
$1.7M
ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
5 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report
Lifting Local Communities
The Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation supports a wide Range
range of community-based non-profit organizations and social
$501,000+ $201,000 to $500,000 Less than $200,000
entrepreneurs who align with our mission to build a better
food system that truly includes everyone.
We work with national and
local partners with big
dreams. People who know
their neighbors, love their
communities and provide
critical access to healthy
food and other essentials.
ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
6 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report
Unlocking Critical Food Access
Because of COVID-19 and its widespread
economic impacts, more individuals and
families in the U.S. turned to the charitable
food system for help. The Foundation’s
support helped partners meet this need by
providing healthy meals in our communities.
Emergency COVID-19 Response Fund The Farmlink Project
In 2020, the Zero Hunger | Zero distribution models to protect health As pandemic-related shutdowns affected
Waste Foundation directed a total of and safety. We also directed follow-on restaurants, travel and hospitality venues,
more than $9 million in grant funding funding to members of the Foundation’s the risk of on-farm food loss increased
for COVID-19 relief, helping national Innovation Fund cohort with ideas to dramatically. Fortunately, a group of
and local organizations feed millions recover and distribute surplus food to Stanford and Brown students created
struggling with hunger, including some vulnerable populations (see p. 8). The Farmlink Project, which used
who relied on the charitable food system Throughout the year, we invited our technology, logistics and a network of
for the first time in their lives. customers to Round Up their purchase volunteers to identify and redistribute
Recognizing the rapidly increasing need to the nearest dollar—at Kroger- surplus food on farms.
last spring, the Foundation established operated store checklanes across the The Foundation’s grant supported
an Emergency COVID-19 Response Fund country—or donate online to support the process automation and development
and directed $3 million to partners at Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation of a new tool to streamline delivery
Feeding America and No Kid Hungry to and, in turn, our local communities. operations. The Farmlink Project
help provide critical meals as businesses During the pandemic-related national continues to help support COVID-19 relief
and schools closed. coin shortage, this was an easy way for efforts today, delivering much-needed
The remaining $6 million in Foundation Kroger’s associates and customers to produce to those struggling with hunger.
grants was directed to support support our mission. The Farmlink Project’s goal is to
community food banks and agency put themselves out of business—
partners pivoting to new food democratizing access to local, fresh
food while reducing agricultural surplus. For more information,
Since inception, The Farmlink Project has please visit The Farmlink
Project website
delivered more than 30 million pounds of
food across the country.
ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
7 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report
Changing Communities for the Better, Together
It’s clear that we won’t end hunger
until we collectively stop wasting food.
We support non-profits and creative
thinkers who, like us, imagine a world
where all food produced serves its
highest purpose: feeding people.
ReFED Mid-Ohio Food Collective
The Zero Hunger | Zero Waste For over 40 years, the Mid-Ohio Food
Foundation directed $2 million in seed • Accelerate individual and collective Collective (MOFC) has been feeding The MOFC monitors progress regularly by
funding to ReFED, a national non-profit action among food businesses, policy- more people than any other organization tracking the total number of customers and
working to end food loss and waste in the makers and solution providers; and in central and eastern Ohio, serving households served and the total pounds
U.S. by advancing data-driven solutions. • Deploy a multi-faceted nearly half a million people annually. of food distributed. They also monitor
ReFED’s vision is a sustainable, resilient communications strategy to share Our grant will improve local network the number of individuals living at or
and inclusive food system that makes the key learnings. transportation and help expand their below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
best use of the food we grow. existing data and analytics platform. in each county to help inform allocation
The new ReFED Insights Engine—
This system combines technology, data of resources.
Our grant helped ReFED: available to the public—offers a food
waste monitor, solutions database, impact collection and human-centered design
• Develop the country’s most
calculator and solution provider directory. to improve services and health outcomes
comprehensive data and solutions hub
in local communities. Mid-Ohio has been For more information, please visit
for food waste; the Mid-Ohio Food Collective
working tirelessly to develop FreshTrak,
initially for use at the MOFC and funded
For more information, please visit by the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste
the ReFED website
Foundation. The FreshTrak platform
will be acquired by Feeding America,
The Future of Food @SXSW modernized for network-wide use, and
then made available to interested food
bank members in late 2021.
As part of the 2021 virtual South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, we presented The Future
of Food@SXSW event. Experts from ReFED and Colorado State University, plus other
thought leaders, innovators and investors, discussed ways to help improve food and
agricultural systems.
ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
8 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report
The Innovation Fund
The Foundation’s Innovation Fund provides philanthropic
funding to social enterprises, entrepreneurs and creative
thinkers with solutions that align with our mission to
improve food security and prevent food waste.
In a typical year, about 35% of food produced in the U.S. is unsold or
uneaten. Much of this surplus food is left in growers’ fields or goes to
landfills from homes, retailers, restaurants and hospitality venues. The
Innovation Fund supports entrepreneurs developing new technologies
and creative solutions to help end food loss and waste.
Active Portfolio Companies in 2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation elected to postpone a planned Innovation Fund open call for proposals. Instead, we directed
a total of $400,000 in new grants to members of our first group of portfolio companies able to continue operating during the pandemic.
This funding was in addition to the $1 million the seven inaugural cohort members received collectively in 2019.
Food Forest Imperfect Foods Replate Ripe Revival Seal the Seasons
Cincinnati San Francisco Oakland, CA Greenville, NC Chapel Hill, NC
Funding supports Meals The Foundation’s grant Replate works with long- During the COVID-19 This grant helped family
on Wheels online grocery expanded access to grocery time donor partners to pandemic, Ripe Revival farms in the Northeast and
delivery, a partnership delivery through Imperfect bring food directly to piloted a food delivery Pacific Northwest expand
between Food Forest and Foods’ Reduced Cost Box the homes of community service and subscription- the locally grown frozen
Produce Perks that provides Program, which provides members, prioritizing those based seasonal product line vegetable program that
free grocery delivery twice low-income households who are vulnerable or sourced from local farmers. aims to increase economic
weekly for food assistance- with discounted groceries. homebound. This funding With this grant, Ripe Revival opportunity for depressed
eligible recipients. Through With the additional funding, helped Replate expand its added new product lines rural communities, reduce
affordable delivery, the Imperfect Foods was able capacity to recover and to its assortment, including on-farm food loss, and
service gave vulnerable to provide free delivery to redistribute donated food in shelf-stable pouches of increase access to
seniors access to fresh, low-income seniors in the select markets for families soups, sauces, smoothies healthy food. Mobius and Winnow did not apply for 2020
nutritious food during the program nationwide. experiencing food insecurity. and meals. COVID-19 relief support but are important
COVID-19 pandemic. members of our Innovation Fund portfolio.
Total food waste impact of Prevention Recovery Operating
the Innovation Fund portfolio
companies during 2020: 5.4M 1.3M 400 160
pounds of food waste diverted meals donated to feed volunteers engaged jobs created
from landfills our communities
ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
9 2021 Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation Report
2021 Innovation Fund Cohort
The Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation launched the
Innovation Fund’s second open call earlier this year, inviting Agua Bonita Grain4Grain
Hanford, CA San Antonio, TX
eligible innovators to apply for business support and funding makes ready-to-drink aguas frescas from uses patent-pending technology to upcycle
totaling $2.5 million in grants. upcycled produce, served in culturally inspired brewers’ spent grain into a low-carb, high-protein
and recyclable cans. and high-fiber flour.
Upcycled food is the next frontier in Grantees also participated in a virtual
food waste prevention. Processors workshop focused on investment Husky Beverages Journey Foods
recover food that may otherwise readiness, technical skill development West Palm Beach, FL Austin, TX
go to landfills, thereby encouraging and networking with a community of is an innovative brand featuring a sparkling solves food science and supply chain
tea made from the “husk” of organic, upcycled inefficiencies with software to help companies
the reintroduction and reuse of investors and mentors in and around
coffee fruit. direct more surplus food to those who need it.
food items into the supply chain. the food system. The innovators have
Applicants were invited to submit exclusive access to the Foundation’s
proposals with a business model that and Village Capital’s leaders and
requires sourcing surplus food or food partners, as well as the option to apply
byproducts and manufacturing them for follow-on funding. Matriark Foods NETZRO
into new consumer-facing products. Cohort members are each eligible for Nyack, NY Minneapolis
The Foundation—in collaboration with an additional $100,000 grant from upcycles farm surplus and fresh-cut remnants is a food technology platform for recovering
into healthy affordable products for institutional industrial byproducts at scale that would
Village Capital, the largest supporter the Innovation Fund based on the
foodservice. otherwise be wasted into new
of impact-driven, seed-stage startups achievement of identified program upcycled ingredients.
in the world, and the Fund’s advisory milestones. At the end of the six‑month
committee—selected 10 recipients. milestone period, two startups will
Each startup received $100,000 in be selected by their cohort peers for
upfront seed grant funding, totaling an opportunity to receive an additional reBLEND Renewal Mill
an initial $1 million investment. $250,000 in funding. Denver Oakland, CA
is a line of frozen smoothie pops packed with upcycles byproducts from food manufacturing
re-harvested produce + superfoods and a bold into superfood ingredients and premium,
mission to tackle food waste. plant‑based pantry staples.
$2.5M Take Two
Portland, OR
The Spare Food Co.
New York
in grants is a plant-based food company that uses is an upcycled food technology platform that
Rejuvenated Barley™—upcycled spent grain creates foods and drinks using overlooked and
from beer production—in a line of nutritious unused ingredients sourced from
barley milks and other products. growers and food processors.
ZeroHungerZeroWasteFoundation.org
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