The inspiration for imPASTA! Foods was to find a solution to the millions of pounds of wasted spaghetti squash each season from our farm as a result of cosmetic scarring. This effort exposed us to the global problem of both food waste and food insecurity.
We believe that change must start with us. We see the necessity in businesses that design, produce and provide goods to consumers while having a transparent and sustainable practice. It is our responsibility to use best practices to promote a circular economy starting with ourselves.
Pounds Diverted From Landfill
1828060Pounds Donated
178000
UPCYCLED
By using squash that would normally get turned away from retailers, we are producing an upcycled certified product. Upcycled products allow for less waste and in return create new, high-quality products from surplus food.
ZERO WASTE
Waste is present in every stage of production and consumption of the lifecycle of a product. We actively identify areas where we can achieve zero waste and work with suppliers and customers to help us create less waste in the product life cycle.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Primary production and the entire food supply chain contribute approximately 22% of total annual Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Annually, imPASTA! Foods' will analyze the direct impact of our production and participate in carbon reduction activities to maintain at minimum a carbon-neutral company. The goal in the future is to be a carbon-negative company.
PACKAGING
When it comes to the production of food products, our first priority is food safety. Our second priority is waste and therefore we make an effort to use all biodegradable or recyclable (if biodegradable is not available) components in the production and packaging of our products.
Food Insecurity and Health Education
Most of the world's population live in countries where obesity is a major issue, yet current estimates say that 25% of people in the world do not have regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. These conflicting issues can be improved through consciousness and education. imPASTA! Foods is making it easier for people to do both by producing products that are good for consumers and reducing waste in our process.
When our products are made (from upcycled squash), a majority of the squash is made for retail/food service distribution, leaving a portion of the finished product that is either too large or too small to fit into the packaging. We have partnered with non-profit organizations like Project H.O.O.D and Feeding America to provide this perfectly delicious and nutritious spaghetti squash to areas with food insecurity and/or people with minimal access to nutritious options.
The remaining amount of access squash, consisting mostly of skin, seeds, and stems is given to a bioprocessing plant to recycle the waste for nutrient-rich compost and/or livestock feed.
Efficiencies All Around
ENERGY
We are strengthening the role of renewable energy in our food production. By asking our partners to prioritize it, and by incorporating new technologies. We have to focus on both direct and indirect energy usage to maximize the effects of change.
WATER & MATERIALS
Smart use of water resources during production, leveraging water-saving equipment and technology. Using thoughtful design, we reduce materials and time needed in the production and shipping of our products to retailers and consumers. We also ask that our suppliers apply the same water-saving efforts in their own companies.
imPASTA! Foods is committed to helping our farms with sustainability! Our circular economy starts with the farm. We harvest squash that in most cases would not be selected by retailers and upcycle the squash in our products, making the farm more efficient and reducing food waste. Packaging and shipping materials are designed to use the minimum amount necessary to get the job done and all materials are recycled at their end of use. Our packaging encourages the consumer to recycle the plastics and paper in the packaging and compost the squash skin.
imPASTA! Foods embed different elements of the circular economy into our business practices and product innovation to minimize waste and optimize efficiency.
Responsible consumption and production by creating corporate standards for consumption and waste such as having an Ethical Standards Policy which all suppliers are asked to sign.
Communication of our plan and reporting on accomplishments. Publicize achievements through our website, social media, and on our packaging.
Influence through partnerships and promotion. Collect information from our partners about their usage, learn from other's best practices to adopt to our business, annual analysis to identify opportunities for improvement, target changes with the highest impact.
Co-create solutions with our partners and use partners as advocates to promote the work and engage change.