Cheese Byproduct Recycling Case Study
Innovative Waste Recycling (IWR) is a waste and byproducts management company that provides sustainable solutions across diverse industries. This case study highlights how IWR helped a food producer in the Upper Midwest repurpose unsellable dairy products into animal feed ingredients, significantly reducing landfill costs and advancing sustainability goals.
Client background
The client is a manufacturer specializing in bulk cheese curds primarily for the food service industry. Their cheese curds are used as ingredients in various products and distributed in large quantities. Over time, some curds are deemed unsellable due to damaged packaging, off-specification, or aged inventory, and are traditionally categorized as waste.
Company Profile
Location
Upper Midwest
Product
Bulk Cheese Curds for Food Service Industry
Waste Type
Damaged, Off-spec, or Aged Cheese Curds
Over 200,000 pounds of unsellable cheese repurposed
IWR has helped this client divert over 200,000 lbs of product from the landfill.
Solving the Problem
Problem Background
Previously, the client disposed of unsellable cheese curds in landfills, a method that proved both expensive and environmentally unsustainable. Facing rising disposal costs alongside growing sustainability demands and regulations, the client sought a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to manage their aged and off-spec cheese inventory.
Challenge
One key challenge was managing the logistics of transporting bulk pallets of cheese curds. The product needed to be moved from the client's warehouse to a partner facility that was equipped to depalletize and remove the product packaging before repurposing. The IWR team needed to manage the entire supply chain, coordinating pickup and transportation from the client’s warehouse directly to a facility, equipped to depalletize and process the material appropriately.
DETERMINING MATERIAL SUITABILITY
Through Innovative Waste Recycling’s Byproduct Recovery Program, our team leveraged its extensive network to identify a farmer willing to accept bulk materials for use as animal feed. After initial conversations and an on-site meeting with the farmer, IWR coordinated a trial load shipment to allow the farmer to assess the material firsthand. This careful evaluation process ensured that the cheese curds were acceptable for feed use, providing confidence to both the farmer and producer before fully implementing the program.
After the Implementation
Following successful trials and implementation, IWR’s coordination and partnership development across state lines enabled the client to divert over 200,000 lbs of material from the landfill and into a productive reuse stream, supporting the client’s sustainability goals and saving money. The solution also provided the farmer with an alternative feed source to costly traditional options and exemplified circular-economy principles.
Through proactive communication, trial validation, and expert logistics, IWR transformed a costly landfill challenge into a sustainable and mutually beneficial solution for all parties involved.
continued collaboration
Innovative Waste Recycling continues to support this client and farming partner through our Byproduct Recovery Program, managing ongoing waste streams and exploring additional opportunities for recycling and byproduct utilization. This project stands as a prime example of IWR’s commitment to eliminating waste and reclaiming resources while fostering strong partnerships in the food production industry.
More case studies
Our selection of case studies represents our varied work across markets. While these studies may not directly address your specific needs, they showcase the problem-solving capabilities of the IWR team. Explore how we have successfully tackled challenges and delivered outstanding results for our clients.
