'From Scraps to Soil': Tops announces launch of Farmer Pirates Compost neighborhood drop-off program

Pilot program at Hamburg store location will allow shoppers to directly reduce food waste

Tops Friendly Markets press release

Tops Friendly Markets has launched a new community-focused sustainability initiative, “From Scraps to Soil,” in partnership with Farmer Pirates Compost. The program introduces a neighborhood compost drop-off location at the Hamburg Tops, located at 6150 S. Park Ave., providing Western New York residents with a convenient way to reduce food waste and contribute to a more sustainable future.

“At Tops, we believe meaningful change starts at the community level,” said Ron Ferri, president of Tops Markets. “Together with Farmer Pirates Compost, we’re reducing landfill waste while empowering everyday participation in a more sustainable, locally driven system.”

The “From Scraps to Soil” initiative will be Tops’ first-ever retail composting program designed to serve customers’ needs. This pilot program builds on Tops’ existing partnership with Farmer Pirates Compost, a local, worker-owned company dedicated to reducing landfill waste, which provides commercial composting services at 18 Tops locations. To date, this partnership has successfully diverted approximately 455,289 pounds (over 228 tons) of organic waste from landfills – transforming it into nutrient-rich compost for local soils.

This new Hamburg pilot program has gained strong community support, with 24 families already signed up to participate in composting at the South Park Avenue location. Compost collection totes are emptied weekly every Tuesday, ensuring a clean and efficient process for participants.

“Farmer Pirates Compost is proud to partner with Tops Markets in a shared commitment to building a more sustainable community. Through our organics recycling program, we’re working together to divert food waste from landfills and turn it into a valuable resource for local soils,” said Terra Courtney, worker-owner, administrative team member at Farmer Pirates Compost. “We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Tops in our neighborhood drop-off composting program. By installing convenient, accessible drop-off locations at local Tops stores, we’re expanding the impact of composting beyond businesses and into everyday life. Together, we’re not just reducing waste – we’re strengthening local systems, supporting environmental responsibility, and making it easier for our community to take part in a more sustainable future.”

To take part in the composting program, customers can enroll at www.farmerpirates.com/compost-drop-off. There is a nominal monthly fee of $10 to participate in the composting program (the first month is free). Compost can be dropped off at the new Hamburg location at any time.

Tops Markets plans to expand the neighborhood drop-off composting program to additional store locations in the future, making composting more accessible across the communities it serves.

A broader commitment to sustainability

The composting initiative is one of several environmentally focused efforts already underway at Tops Markets:

•Lighting the way to lower energy use: Tops continues to invest in energy-efficient infrastructure through its partnership with NOCO Energy, accelerating LED lighting conversions across stores. This initiative is expected to reduce electricity consumption by 16 million kWh annually, supported by Tops’ $1.6 million investment.

•Rescue food, reduce waste: The Flashfood app, now available at 70-plus Tops locations, allows shoppers to save up to 60% on food nearing its best-by date. To date, the program has diverted over 50 million pounds of food from landfills while helping families save on groceries.

•“Fresh Recovery” program: Fighting hunger, reducing waste: Operating at nearly all Tops locations, the “Fresh Recovery” program has become a cornerstone of the company’s sustainability and community impact efforts. In 2024 alone, the program recovered over 1.6 million pounds of food, up from 1.2 million pounds the year prior.

Originally evolving from a decades-long “Feeding Charities” initiative that primarily supported area churches with day-old bakery items, the program has expanded to partner with local food banks and pantries. Today, it focuses on rescuing and redistributing fresh produce and perishable items – including bakery, deli, meat, seafood, frozen and dairy products – that would otherwise go to waste.

By redirecting surplus food to those in need, the “Fresh Recovery” program helps combat hunger while significantly reducing the environmental impact of food waste and supporting a more sustainable food system.

•Turning waste into impact: Tops remains committed to reducing its carbon footprint through comprehensive recycling efforts. In the past year alone, Tops has recycled:

√ 1,950-plus tons of used cooking and fryer oil

√ 1,165 tons of plastic bags and stretch film

√ 120,000-plus tons of cardboard, newspapers and office paper

√ 2,380-plus tons of organic scraps

Through partnerships like Farmer Pirates Compost and continued investment in sustainability initiatives, Tops Markets is helping to build a more environmentally responsible future – one community at a time. To learn more about the company’s sustainability efforts, visit topsmarkets.com/sustainability/.

Headquartered in Williamsville, Tops Markets operates a robust network of 151 grocery stores spanning New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, including one franchise location in Lewiston. Discover more at www.topsmarkets.com.