Sustainability Spotlight: Liberty Foods Leads the Way with Organics Diversion Program

Liberty Foods in Fruitvale is setting an inspiring example for small businesses in the Kootenays. Their newly launched Organics Diversion Program is reducing waste, saving money, and helping protect the environment. This program is a practical model for other businesses in the region looking to reduce costs while making a positive impact.

What is the Organics Diversion Program?

The program focuses on separating organic waste, such as food scraps, from regular garbage. Instead of sending this waste to landfills, it’s collected in bear-proof bins, picked up weekly, and taken to a local composting facility where it’s turned into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that can be reused within the community.

Why does this matter?

When organic waste ends up in landfills, it breaks down and produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. It also takes up valuable space in our landfills, which are reaching capacity and becoming increasingly expensive to maintain and expand. This leads to rising tipping fees for businesses.

Before this program, most of Liberty Foods’ organic waste went directly to the landfill, resulting in high disposal fees and a significant environmental impact. Now, by composting all their organic waste through this program, Liberty Foods is significantly reducing its environmental footprint while cutting costs.

Josie, Liberty Foods & their newly acquired 1 cu yd Organics bin

Food Waste from a local brewery being fed to animals at Scapegoats Landscape Restoration

How Did It Start?

The idea for the program came from Giuseppina (Josie) Barker, who joined Liberty Foods in February 2024, bringing her passion for community resilience and her background in Environmental Sciences.

“I noticed that small towns like Fruitvale didn’t have access to food recovery and recycling programs designed for big cities,” Barker explains. “So we decided to create our own solution.”

With support from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) and GFL Environmental, Liberty Foods obtained a bear-proof bin for composting and began separating their organic waste.

What Are the Benefits?

Since launching the program in October 2024, Liberty Foods has experienced significant benefits:

Lower Waste Costs: Garbage disposal fees have been reduced by 28%, saving over $4,000 annually.
Fewer Pickups: Weekly garbage pickups have been cut from two to one, lowering fuel costs and emissions.
Lower Tipping Fees: Disposing of organic waste costs 35% less than regular garbage.

“These cost savings have been eye-opening,” says managing director Derrick Dar. “They’ve made the program an easy decision for us, especially once our team saw the financial benefits.”

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Starting a new program always comes with challenges. For Liberty Foods, the biggest hurdles were:

Educating Staff: Training employees on what can and cannot be composted took time and patience.
Winning Support: Not everyone was on board immediately. “It’s normal for people to resist change,” Josie notes. “But consistent communication and showing the benefits helped get everyone on the same page.”
Engaging Other Businesses: Some businesses were hesitant to join. “It takes persistence,” Josie explains. “But once people see how much money and waste they can save, it becomes easier to get them involved.”

What’s Next for Liberty Foods?

The program is just the beginning of Liberty Foods’ sustainability efforts. The store is now working on:

Donating edible food waste to local farmers for animal feed.
Composting inedible food scraps, such as vegetable peelings and meat trimmings.
Reducing waste by improving tracking of product expiry dates to sell items before they spoil.
Recycling materials like styrofoam and glass bottles.
Exploring grants to upgrade to energy-efficient equipment.

“Our company has always evolved to meet new challenges,” says Dar. “This program is a natural step in aligning with community goals and creating a sustainable future.”

Bringing a Similar Program to Nelson’s Business Community

The Nelson District Chamber of Commerce is working closely with the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) to make programs like this accessible to all local businesses. Grace Henecka, the Chamber’s Business Climate Advisor, and Matt Morrison, the RDCK’s Organics Coordinator, are currently developing incentives and resources addressing the needs and challenges of small businesses in the area.

“We’re creating tools to make it easier for businesses to join,” says Grace. “We are aware that there are many obstacles in the way for small businesses around here, but the Chamber is dedicated to finding better solutions and advocating for our community.”

Why Should You Care?

Reducing waste isn’t just good for the environment—it’s good for your business. Programs like this can:

Save you money on waste disposal.
Help your business stand out as a leader in sustainability.
Reduce the harmful impacts of your operations on the planet.

The Nelson Chamber of Commerce recognizes Liberty Foods as a sustainability leader. Their work shows that small steps can make a big difference—for the planet, the community, and your business’s financial health.

Interested in Joining?

If you want to learn more about starting a program like this for your business, reach out to the Nelson District Chamber of Commerce. They can connect you with resources, advice, and partners to help you get started.

Contact Grace at grace@discovernelson.com.