Vanguard Renewables Opens River Falls Facility for Sustainable Food Waste Disposal

RIVER FALLS, Wis. – Vanguard Renewables, a national provider of organics recycling and renewable energy production, has opened a new anaerobic digestion and advanced de-packaging facility in River Falls, Wis. The site provides food and beverage manufacturers, retailers and processors across the Minneapolis-St. Paul region with a sustainable way to recycle food waste while reducing risk and improving efficiency, the company said. 

Food and beverage companies in Wisconsin and Minnesota face growing regulatory pressure to manage organics responsibly and recover packaging materials, said Vanguard Renewables. Both states are advancing policies such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and commercial organics diversion requirements, driving demand for solutions that ensure compliance and advance sustainability goals.

"Vanguard Renewables gives food and beverage companies a turnkey solution to simplify organics recycling and reduce risk," said Kent Bartley, president of Organic Solutions. "We combine deep industry expertise with full-service capabilities, from managing logistics with our own fleet to providing real-time data for compliance and reporting. Our approach makes organics recycling simple and reliable."

Located at Peterson Family Dairy, a fourth-generation farm in Pierce County, the River Falls facility can process up to 275 tons of food and beverage waste per day and will generate 289,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas (RNG) annually — enough to power 53,000 homes and businesses each year, said Vanguard Renewables. The RNG will help power AstraZeneca's United States research and manufacturing facilities, which the company said supports its commitment to reducing emissions and advancing sustainability. 

The facility uses anaerobic digestion to turn food waste into renewable energy — giving it a second life and creating a circular solution for businesses and the environment, said Vanguard Renewables. 

The River Falls facility features advanced de-packaging technology to handle both bulk and packaged food and beverage products and is already processing more than 50 waste streams from over 30 customers in the region, according to Vanguard Renewables. 

This is Vanguard Renewables' second location in Wisconsin, joining its operational site in Eden serving the Milwaukee area and expanding the company's ability to serve food and beverage manufacturers and retailers across the Midwest.

The River Falls facility is now accepting new material. To learn more or schedule a free waste evaluation, visit www.vanguardrenewables.com.