Freshness is at the heart of Russ Davis Wholesale’s business. But handling large volumes of fresh produce also means managing organic waste generated throughout distribution and processing.

Produce can become unsuitable for sale because of transportation damage, contamination, handling, storage, trimming, and fresh-cut processing. As Russ Davis Wholesale’s operations expanded, so did the volume of organic material requiring disposal.

The company operates multiple distribution centers and fresh-cut processing facilities, creating a substantial and continuous stream of fruit and vegetable waste.

Managing thousands of pounds of this material through conventional disposal methods required storage, handling, transportation, and associated hauling costs. Russ Davis Wholesale began looking for a solution that could manage this waste more efficiently while supporting its long-term sustainability goals.

The Solution: Processing Produce Waste Onsite

In June 2021, Russ Davis Wholesale installed an LFC-1000 biodigester with an integrated bin tipper.

With a nominal processing capacity of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) per day, the LFC-1000 gave the company the ability to process large quantities of organic material directly at its facility rather than relying solely on offsite waste management.

The LFC biodigester uses a natural aerobic process to break down organic waste. For a fresh produce operation like Russ Davis Wholesale, the system provides a practical way to continuously process fruits, vegetables, trimmings, and other biodegradable material generated during normal operations.

Processing More Than One Metric Ton Per Day

The results were immediate.

During the first month following installation, the LFC-1000 processed an average of 1,066 kg (2,350 lb) of organic waste per working day.

On one exceptional day, the system processed: 3,390 kg (7,475 lb) of organic waste

The ability to continuously process high volumes of produce waste onsite gives Russ Davis Wholesale an alternative to storing and transporting the same material for offsite disposal.

A Power Knot SBT bin tipper emptying a green waste bin directly into the Power Knot LFC biodigester inside a large food distribution warehouse, with pallet racking, a forklift, and additional green waste bins visible in the background.

Reducing Manual Handling with an Integrated Bin Tipper

Managing food waste at this scale isn’t only a disposal challenge. It also requires employees to repeatedly move heavy containers of organic material.

The LFC-1000’s integrated bin tipper automates much of this process. An operator uses an NFC card to initiate the cycle. The biodigester door opens, the bin is lifted and emptied into the machine, the bin is washed, and it is then lowered back to the ground.

Automating this process reduces the amount of manual lifting required from employees and makes it easier to manage large quantities of organic waste throughout the working day.

For an employee-owned company like Russ Davis Wholesale, reducing unnecessary physical handling also supports its focus on creating a safer and more efficient working environment.

Turning Produce Waste into Actionable Data

The LFC-1000 provides Russ Davis Wholesale with more than a way to process organic waste. It also provides insight into what is being discarded.

Using the system’s NFC card capabilities, Russ Davis Wholesale can categorize loads by waste type, such as tomatoes, lettuce, and other produce.

The company uses multiple NFC cards to distinguish between waste categories. Each load is recorded through the LFC Cloud, giving the team visibility into the amount and type of organic material being processed.

Instead of simply knowing how much waste leaves the facility, Russ Davis Wholesale can identify which products contribute most to its waste stream.

This data can help teams identify trends, investigate sources of waste, and make more informed decisions about purchasing, handling, storage, and processing.

A Fresher Approach to Produce Waste

For Russ Davis Wholesale, delivering fresh produce at scale inevitably creates organic material that must be managed responsibly.

The LFC-1000 biodigester provides the company with a way to address that waste where it is generated. By processing approximately one metric ton of organic material per working day, automating the handling of heavy bins, and capturing detailed waste data, Russ Davis Wholesale has transformed food waste management from a disposal task into a measurable part of its operations.

The result is a more efficient approach that complements what the company does best: delivering fresh produce while continually improving the way it manages the resources behind it.

“Russ Davis Wholesale demonstrates how food waste can be managed as a measurable part of operations rather than simply a disposal problem. By processing organic waste at the source and using data to understand what is being discarded, businesses can reduce waste, improve efficiency, and make more informed decisions across their operations.”

Iain Milnes

President of Power Knot