Kroger Adds Waste-to-Energy System at Indiana Manufacturing Plant

The Kroger Co. recently announced the startup of a new wastewater treatment system at K.B. Specialty Foods, a manufacturing plant owned and operated by the company in Greensburg, Indiana.

K.B. Specialty Foods, which employs 270 associates and produces deli salads, cake icing and refrigerated side dishes, has been a zero-waste facility since 2014, diverting more than 90 percent of waste produced from landfills each year, and is now home to the company's second anaerobic digester.

The new $9.5 million anaerobic digester, which replaced a conventional wastewater treatment system, features a dome that captures biogas from food byproducts at the plant and converts it into energy through anaerobic digestion while also improving air quality.

"We invested in the digester because it improves our sustainability performance, supports better air quality and provides a cost savings to the company," said Erin Sharp, Kroger's group vice president of manufacturing. "Once the digester is operating at its optimal level, we project it will have the capability to produce nearly 30 percent of the plant's electricity."

Kroger's first anaerobic digester, which converts organic materials into renewable biogas, was installed in 2013 at the Ralph’s Food 4 Less distribution center in Compton, California.

"Our associates remain committed to reducing our impact on the environment by using natural resources responsibly and minimizing waste throughout our operations to help us achieve our zero-waste goals," Sharp added.

For more information, visit www.thekrogerco.com.