Dive Brief:

• Safeway grocery store joined Oregon Food Bank's list of partners that donates food that is close to its sell-by date, but is still fit to consume.
• Safeway's participation means 1.25 million additional meals will be available through the 14-year-old Fresh Alliance program in Oregon and Clark County. Participation will also significantly limit the amount of food that the store sends to landfills. 
• Jay Feeney, an environmental and special projects manager for Albertsons/Safeway, said Safeway has been donating to food banks for several years. "We are excited to expand the type of items we are donating to now include needed items such as meat, dairy products as well as produce." 

Dive Insight:

Food producers are a natural donor to food bank programs. Food vendors at the Boston Public Market donate leftovers at the end of the day to the market's nonprofit food rescue partners, The Greater Boston Food Bank and Lovin' Spoonfuls.

Aside from feeding the hungry, Safeway's Oregon Food Bank donations help prevent organics from being wasted in landfills. "This allows us to reduce some of our operating cost," Feeney said.

More than 36 million tons of food waste are being disposed of each year in the U.S., according to Forbes.