{"id":3904,"date":"2026-03-28T11:20:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T11:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/?p=3904"},"modified":"2026-03-28T11:20:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T11:20:04","slug":"from-kitchens-to-communities-how-one-developer-rethought-food-waste-in-two-buildings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/from-kitchens-to-communities-how-one-developer-rethought-food-waste-in-two-buildings\/","title":{"rendered":"From Kitchens to Communities: How One Developer Rethought Food Waste In Two Buildings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When people think about food waste, they usually picture a single kitchen \u2014 a forgotten container in the fridge, wilted greens, leftovers that never quite made it to lunch. But in apartment and condo buildings, food waste isn\u2019t just a household issue. It\u2019s a shared challenge that affects residents, property managers, and entire communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s what made the&nbsp;<strong>FoodCycler X<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>Devcore pilot&nbsp;<\/strong>&#8211;&nbsp;<strong><\/strong>in partnership with Nexliving Communities &#8211; so interesting. It didn\u2019t just test a product \u2014 it tested a new way of thinking about food waste in shared living spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project was part of FoodCycer Programs \u2013 a division of the company focused on helping buildings, schools and communities manage food waste on-site, reduce hauling and contamination and make sustainable habits easier to adopt in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Everyday Challenge of Shared Living<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In multi-residential buildings, food waste creates unique pain points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t6958420.p.clickup-attachments.com\/t6958420\/bcd33030-e469-463c-b2c6-50abff095383\/Frame%201000003396.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Even well-designed composting programs struggle when systems feel confusing, inconvenient, or unpleasant. When participation drops, everyone feels the impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Devcore wanted to try something different: bring food waste management directly into residents\u2019 kitchens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Devcore X FoodCycler Pilot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Devcore pilot introduced FoodCycler units into every apartment in two of their multi-residential buildings in Quebec. A total of 155 Eco 3 units were installed, mainly in 1\u20132 person households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of relying only on centralized organic bins, residents managed food waste at home using FoodCycler \u2014 a countertop system that dries and grinds food scraps, reducing their volume by up to 90% and turning them into a clean, shelf-stable by-product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal was simple but ambitious:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t6958420.p.clickup-attachments.com\/t6958420\/13e05f47-857e-4ecc-864b-b04fec772305\/Frame%201000003510.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Changed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The impact showed up quickly. Before FoodCycler, buildings averaged about three full waste bins per week. After the program, weekly waste dropped by one to one-and-a-half full bins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over a year, the results would add up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t6958420.p.clickup-attachments.com\/t6958420\/6b8d90a8-17cb-4594-900d-fd9148a9d6cf\/Asset%208.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But numbers only tell part of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Residents Felt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Residents didn\u2019t just use the system \u2014 they embraced it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t6958420.p.clickup-attachments.com\/t6958420\/321466ab-2ba7-4437-9b99-3b260ffded40\/Asset%207.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t6958420.p.clickup-attachments.com\/t6958420\/b498e792-cac0-4995-8f58-c1c6ca7c74cb\/Asset%206.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Food waste stopped being something unpleasant that happened \u201csomewhere else.\u201d It became visible, manageable, and even meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Closing the Loop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>FoodCycler doesn\u2019t just reduce waste \u2014 it creates something useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The dried, ground material can be reused or collected on-site. In the Devcore pilot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>72% of residents used on-site collection bins<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Others reused it for gardening or shared it<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>None sent it to the garbage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Food waste became a resource instead of a problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why This Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For buildings, food waste isn\u2019t just environmental \u2014 it\u2019s operational:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fewer overflowing bins<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Less odor in waste rooms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lower contamination<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easier handling of organic material \u2013 especially wet food waste<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Potentially lower hauling costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Because FoodCycler reduces weight and volume so dramatically at the source, properties can manage waste more efficiently before it enters the buildings\u2019 communal waste infrastructure, avoiding hassles of contamination, associated fees and other operational headaches \u2013 allowing for an easier, cleaner and cost-effective solution to handling food waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the biggest shift wasn\u2019t logistical \u2014 it was cultural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When residents manage food waste at home, they see what they waste. They think twice before tossing. They feel part of the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One property manager at Devcore put it simply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t6958420.p.clickup-attachments.com\/t6958420\/a2b20c6e-bc02-491f-ac8f-139ed0f8a48e\/Asset%205.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A New Kind of Amenity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Amenities today aren\u2019t just gyms and lounges. Residents care about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sustainability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Convenience<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Clean living spaces<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feeling aligned with their values<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>FoodCycler became more than an appliance \u2014 it became a shared value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Devcore and NexLiving, the program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increased resident satisfaction<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Added a meaningful sustainability feature<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Supported long-term building appeal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For residents, it meant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cleaner kitchens<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Less smell and mess<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A better way to handle leftovers and scraps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feeling good about daily habits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Small Kitchens, Big Impact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t6958420.p.clickup-attachments.com\/t6958420\/c07bed77-9be9-4975-ba43-d38a651275d8\/How%20the%20FoodCycler%20Makes%20a%20Difference_.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Devcore pilot showed that food waste doesn\u2019t have to be a hidden problem in multiresidential living. With the right tools and design, it can become cleaner, simpler, and more engaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turning food waste management into a building\u2019s asset by combining innovation and resident engagement, helps reduce the operational pain points historically associated with it and signals a growing expectation that residents are looking for easy, sustainable solutions integrated into their amenities, as a standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sustainability works best when it\u2019s built into everyday life &#8211; not added as an afterthought. When communities rethink how they handle food waste, small daily choices start to add up to real change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When people think about food waste, they usually picture a single kitchen \u2014 a forgotten container in the fridge, wilted greens, leftovers that never quite made it to lunch. But in apartment and condo buildings, food waste isn\u2019t just a household issue. It\u2019s a shared challenge that affects residents, property managers, and entire communities. That\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3664,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3904"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3904\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3905,"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3904\/revisions\/3905"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodcycler.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}