Sprouts Farmers Market and Careit: Transforming Food Donation Efforts

Since August 2022, Sprouts Farmers Market has utilized the Careit app to monitor over 30 million pounds of food donated to 216 nonprofits across the United States. Additionally, more than 14 million pounds of surplus fresh produce has been distributed to local food-rescue agencies.

Leading with Philanthropy

Sprouts aspires to be a frontrunner in the realm of philanthropic sustainability. The grocery chain is committed to assisting community organizations and small nonprofits in accessing nutritious meals through its robust food donation program. An integral part of this initiative is Sprouts’ focus on incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into its sustainability framework nationwide.

Voices from Sprouts

“We’re very produce-centric and proud that we can provide fresh food to our local community partners who feed individuals with dietary restrictions that require nutritious meals,” stated Natasha Tofil, Sprouts Farmers Market’s Environmental Compliance Manager.

“Previously, we had to decline requests for donations from nonprofits, but with Careit, we can onboard them easily and develop deeper connections within our communities,” she added.

The Careit Partnership

The partnership with Careit enables Sprouts to:

• Manage the administrative responsibilities of compliance and ESG data tracking.
• Identify and develop partnerships with nonprofit agencies.
• Motivate Sprouts employees to engage more actively with their communities through food donations.

Improving Access to Nutritious Food

“Our partnership with Sprouts aligns with our mission to connect those experiencing food insecurity with healthier nutrition, including organic produce. The cost of food is always a concern for nonprofits, and our free app services simplify the connection between food donors and agencies like Sprouts,” explained Alyson Schill, CEO and Co-Founder of Careit.

One noteworthy beneficiary of Sprouts’ donations is Carol’s Kindness Food Pantry. The organization has received nearly 1.05 million pounds of donated food since joining the Careit app, including produce, meals, salads, and fruit.

“Without Sprouts, we wouldn’t have as much nutritious food to provide to our clients,” said Carol Rabun, CEO of the pantry. “We receive food from a local food bank, but it lacks meals, meat, and protein. Sprouts supplies these essential items along with vegetables, fruit, dairy, bread, and pastries. Transitioning to Careit allowed us to document our donations, and it’s astounding to see how many pounds of food are diverted from landfills.”

Personalized Community Engagement

Carol’s Kindness Food Pantry emphasizes the uniqueness of Sprouts’ approach, noting that the grocer treats their partnership as a relationship. Encouraging messages on food donation packaging (such as “We appreciate you” written on egg cartons) and thoughtful gestures, like sending a bouquet to a volunteer who faced a loss, have made a significant impact.

Future Plans: Animal Feed Donation Tracking

As Sprouts ramps up its sustainability program through Careit, one innovative aspect they plan to introduce is an animal feed donation tracking component. This approach aims to redirect food that isn’t suitable for human consumption to pets and livestock, ultimately saving money and reducing landfill waste.

“Our next step is to expand our animal feed program. We want farmers to be able to access the Careit app to utilize food that has a good shelf life for animal feed and soil regeneration,” Tofil mentioned.

Conclusion

Sprouts Farmers Market’s commitment to sustainable food donation practices, through partnerships like Careit, exemplifies innovative community support and environmental stewardship.

[RELATED: $3.3M In One Day: Sprouts Supports 550+ Nonprofits]