Bergen Grocer To 'Do Good... For Plate, Planet' In New Partnership

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A local supermarket chain has partnered with a climate-fighting chicken supplier to end food waste.

Mahwah-based Inserra Supermarkets, which operates several ShopRite stores in Bergen County, has "joined the mission" to fight food waste with Do Good Chicken — marketed as one of the first climate-forward chicken brands.

Celebrating one year since its launch in April 2022, Do Good Chicken works with grocers to up-cycle surplus food into nutritious animal feed, which is then used to grow "carbon-reduced" chicken, a release said.

So far, the poultry producer has diverted about 27 million pounds of surplus grocery food from landfills, saving more than 3,100 metric tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere, a spokesperson said in the release.

Headquartered in Somerset County, Do Good Chicken has recently expanded its retail distribution with Inserra Supermarkets, and now ShopRite customers will be able to purchase Do Good's product in local stores, the chain's chair and CEO Lawrence Inserra, Jr., said.

"We are excited to be a part of the closed-loop system to combat climate change," the Inserra CEO said. "By having (this) product in our stores, customers get a great-tasting chicken, and we all work together to reduce waste and help the planet."

Do Good Chicken founders Justin and Matthew Kamine introduced this concept to tackle the dual concerns of food waste and climate change, and to "do good... for plate and planet."

The company's lineup includes boneless and skinless chicken breast; and bone-in and boneless thighs, drumsticks, tenderloins, whole bird and wings, a release said.

""Ending food waste was the driving force for founding this company, " Do Good co-founder Matthew Kamine said, "and while we know we still have a long way to go toward meeting that goal, we've got all the pieces in place to make a truly significant impact."