The Meal Recovery Coalition (MRC), which aims to promote the recovery of healthy, surplus meals from large cafeterias and deliver them to food-insecure residents across New Jersey, was launched at a summit held at Rutgers University on September 18.
The coalition across the private and nonprofit sectors was celebrated by NJ Governor Phil Murphy, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and other leaders.
In his keynote address, Governor Murphy lauded the MRC’s efforts in tackling both food security and environmental sustainability and pioneering an approach that will keep tons of food out of landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Attendees also heard from experts in food security and waste reduction and engaged in discussions on how best to collaborate to support food security through meal recovery in their communities.
“I am proud to see New Jersey lead the way in addressing hunger and food waste,” Murphy said. “The Meal Recovery Coalition is taking bold steps forward by pioneering this effort. This initiative will not only divert food from going to landfill and compost — which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions — but will also put meals on the tables of New Jersey residents facing food insecurity.”
The MRC’s vision is to establish meal recovery as a standard practice throughout New Jersey, with the long-term goal of creating a scalable, sustainable model that can be replicated nationwide. By improving the capabilities of meal recovery programs, increasing awareness of meal recovery as a vital food source, and fostering collaboration among private, nonprofit, and government stakeholders, the MRC aims to address food insecurity and reduce food waste simultaneously. The Coalition has set an ambitious goal to recover 500,000 meals annually by 2026, which will provide sustenance to an additional 6,400 people each week.
Princeton-based nonprofit Share My Meals, has been the driving force behind the formation of the MRC. Founding members include Bristol Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, Campbell Soup Company, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Sanofi, and Capital Health. These organizations have, between them, committed to the recovery of surplus meals as well as serving as ambassadors for meal recovery and supporting the Coalition through financial contributions and advocacy efforts.
“Nearly one million New Jersey residents live with food insecurity because they don’t have enough affordable, nutritious food,” said Helene Lanctuit, CEO of Share My Meals. “At the same time, in New Jersey alone, we estimate that 5 million prepared meals end up in landfills annually in the food service sector. The Meal Recovery Coalition aims to break this cycle by providing a user-friendly, safe way of diverting those meals to support food security in the state and adding them to the other food sources New Jersey is bringing to bear to achieve that goal.”
Since its inception in December 2023, the Meal Recovery Coalition has already recovered 100,000 meals, diverting more than 295,000 pounds of CO2 equivalent from landfills. With continued support, the MRC aims to expand its impact exponentially.
The launch event also showcased the positive effects of the MRC on local communities. Kate Barrett, president of the Campbell’s Foundation, emphasized the direct benefits of the MRC’s efforts.
“By joining the Meal Recovery Coalition, Campbell Soup Company aims to increase access to healthy meals in our hometown community of Camden and statewide,” Barrett said. “Through our partnership with Share My Meals and Sodexo, we ensure that any surplus meals from the cafeteria at our headquarters are kept out of the waste stream and go directly to our local partner, Cathedral Kitchen, to feed residents in need. The Meal Recovery Coalition will enable programs like this to become the norm, empowering organizations to work together across sectors to simultaneously address the critical issues of food waste and food insecurity.”
The Meal Recovery Coalition is sponsored by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and supported by Rutgers University.
To learn more about the Meal Recovery Coalition, visit mealrecoverycoalition.org.
