Every day in Memphis, perfectly good food ends up in landfills – not because it’s unsafe or inedible, but because systems to recover and redistribute it aren’t yet widespread. Project Green Fork (PGF) is working to change that.
By partnering with restaurants, caterers, venues, and food service providers, PGF is leading a local movement to rescue surplus food, redirect it to neighbors in need, and reduce waste in the process. The goal is simple but powerful: keep food out of landfills and put it back into our community.
And the impact is growing, especially at large-scale venues like FedExForum, where the PGF team helps to coordinate a regular food recovery effort in partnership with Levy, Clean Memphis, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Sustainability Night with the Grizzlies: A spotlight on food recovery
As part of their Sustainability Night on Wednesday, March 12, the Grizzlies showcased eco-conscious initiatives to cut waste and inspire greener habits. But behind the scenes, they were also making a meaningful impact on food insecurity.
Since the start of the 2023-2024 season, FedExForum and its partners have donated 3,274 pounds of high-quality, excess food, thanks to a food recovery program coordinated with Project Green Fork. After each major event, the PGF team collects surplus food from the arena and redistributes it to organizations like Hospitality Hub Memphis, which helps people exit homelessness by connecting individuals with the resources they need for more stable housing and better health.
It’s just one example of how PGF is scaling food rescue across Memphis and connecting food waste solutions to real needs.
Why food recovery matters
Food recovery is one of the most impactful ways to ensure that food doesn’t end up in the trash. When surplus food ends up in a landfill, it breaks down without oxygen and produces methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, making it a major contributor to climate change.
On the other side, one in seven Shelby County residents experience food insecurity. So when that food is rescued and shared with those who need it, it becomes part of an eco-friendly, community-serving system.
One of the reasons PGF’s model works is that it’s designed to be practical and accessible. PGF offers technical guidance, sustainability training, and the free use of food donation software, Careit, to help local businesses integrate food recovery into their operations with ease.
Whether you’re a restaurant, venue, or caterer, PGF can help you recover surplus food responsibly and track your impact over time.
Solutions beyond the arena
While high-profile efforts like food recovery at FedExForum are impactful, PGF’s work to mitigate food waste extends beyond game nights. Across Memphis and the Mid-South, PGF is equipping food businesses of all sizes with the tools they need to lessen their environmental footprint.
Through hands-on sustainability coaching, PGF helps businesses assess their waste streams, implement best practices, and identify opportunities for impact. From setting up donation systems to offering food-safe storage tips, PGF’s support empowers kitchens to recover food safely and efficiently.
PGF also offers education on source reduction, composting, and broader diversion strategies, helping businesses prevent excess food before it even happens. Simple operational shifts like portion tracking, prep waste audits, and kitchen staff training are already helping local businesses cut down on surplus food and save money.
And it doesn’t stop with food. PGF’s entity certification framework fosters other environmentally responsible practices, such as energy use, water conservation, packaging options, and purchasing decisions – creating ripple effects throughout the local hospitality industry.
Be part of the solution – partner with Project Green Fork
When businesses choose food recovery, they become a part of the solution by cutting waste, supporting community resilience, and fostering environmental responsibility. Project Green Fork is here to help Memphis businesses turn everyday operations into meaningful change.
To learn more about joining the food recovery movement, visit www.projectgreenfork.org.
