Help us RAMP UP our sustainability for Earth Day!

At Philly Foodworks, we are truly committed to reducing waste of all kinds! It is core to our mission to foster a sustainable local food system and make local food more accessible and affordable for everyone. We firmly believe that embracing sustainability goes beyond just a trend—it's a vital pillar for cultivating a food system that can thrive long into the future. To realize this vision, we are dedicated to implementing strategies that minimize waste and reduce our reliance on carbon at every stage of our business model. By building circularity into our business model we are tying together our financial sustainability with ecological sustainability, which is crucial to sustaining a transformative change.

Your support at Philly Foodworks plays an invaluable role in this journey! Alongside purchasing from us, you can make a meaningful impact by returning your packaging materials with your next delivery. Returnable items include:

Wax-coated boxes
Silver insulated cold sleeve
Ice packs
Post-consumer recycled plastic clamshells
Glass milk bottles
Fishtown Pickle Project jars

To ensure these items can be reused effectively, we kindly ask you to remove any food residue and rinse those containers that have been in contact with food, such as the glass milk bottles and Fishtown Pickle Project jars. However, please do not clean the pickle jars in the dishwasher as the heat from the dishwasher hinders label removal. Once our drivers collect these items from you, we will thoroughly inspect and sanitize them for reuse, following the Philadelphia Health Department’s guidelines.

We’re proud to share that we successfully receive about two-thirds of these materials back from our wonderful customers each week, saving us approximately $2,000! We then pass those savings on to you, which helps lower our product prices while significantly reducing the amount of packaging waste generated. We take pride in standing out from many other delivery companies in this regard!

Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond reusing packaging; we strive to achieve zero waste throughout all our operations. Our initiatives include:

Donating all edible food and composting all inedible food.
Powering our warehouse with 100% renewable energy.
Collaborating closely with farmers on pre-season crop planning to minimize on-farm waste.
Prioritizing partnerships with farmers who employ regenerative practices to reduce atmospheric carbon.
Sourcing over 85% of our products from within 150 miles of our warehouse.
Equipping our employees with training focused on reducing packaging needs during food packing and distribution.
Carefully designing product pick-up and home delivery routes to minimize the carbon footprint associated with delivering your food.

We invite you to learn more about our initiatives and embrace these sustainable practices with us. Thank you for being such an essential part of our community and for helping us make a larger impact this spring!