Food waste startup Mill has reached an agreement with Amazon and Whole Foods that will bring its commercial food waste technology into grocery stores, marking a shift beyond the household market the company initially targeted.
Commercial Expansion With Whole Foods
Mill co-founder and chief executive Matt Rogers said the company has planned to serve commercial customers since its early fundraising stages. With the new agreement, Whole Foods will deploy a commercial-scale version of Mill’s food waste bin in every store starting in 2027.
The bins will process food waste from produce departments by grinding and dehydrating discarded items. Whole Foods plans to use the system to reduce landfill fees and convert waste into feed for its egg producers, lowering operating costs while reducing environmental impact.
Data Collection And Cost Control
In addition to processing waste, the bins will collect data on what food is discarded and why. Mill said this information will help Whole Foods better understand waste patterns and manage costs.
Rogers said the company’s objective extends beyond improving waste handling efficiency. He said Mill aims to help retailers reduce food waste earlier in the process by identifying avoidable losses.
Consumer Roots And Sales Strategy
Mill began selling food waste bins to households several years ago. Rogers said starting with consumers was a deliberate strategy to build data, brand recognition, and customer loyalty. He added that many Whole Foods employees were already familiar with Mill before formal discussions began.
Rogers described the consumer product as part of the company’s enterprise sales approach. When meeting with potential commercial customers, Mill often encourages executives to use the product at home before considering it for business use.
Mill began discussions with Whole Foods about a year ago and later demonstrated the consumer version of its bins in selected stores.
AI Development And Waste Reduction
Mill has developed artificial intelligence software that uses sensors to assess whether food placed into a bin should still be available for sale. The technology is designed to reduce “shrink,” a retail term for losses caused by waste or theft.
Rogers said advances in large language models played a central role in accelerating development. He said similar computer vision systems at Nest required large engineering teams and significant resources, while Mill achieved comparable results with fewer engineers and shorter timelines.
Revenue Diversification Plans
Mill said the use of AI helped it deliver a commercial product more quickly, allowing the company to diversify its revenue sources beyond household customers.
Rogers said reliance on a single customer or sales channel creates risk. He referenced his time at Apple during the iPod era, when most revenue depended on a single product, as an example of why companies seek additional lines of business.
Mill is also developing plans to enter the municipal waste market, further expanding beyond consumer and commercial customers.
Featured image credits: Mill
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