Retail coordinator helps cut waste for food retailers

Through a grant from the Walmart Foundation and Feeding America, Travis Sorensen has been working with area food retailers to collect food to help fight hunger issues in Northwest Arkansas.

The grant created the retail coordinator position at the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank that is filled by Sorensen, who works with partner retailers and donors to increase the food donations by decreasing waste.

But Sorensen indicated that waste, in this sense, is a good thing.“There are a lot products that are being thrown away, but they can be saved to help feed the hungry,” he said. For example, if a banana or apple has a blemish mark on it. Shoppers have been conditioned not to buy it, because they purchase only top quality. The blemish can be cut away later by the recipient, he said. That product is still edible and can go out and feed people.

He is currently working with Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, Aldi’s, Hart’s and Sunfest grocery stores as well as other businesses that deal with food. Through his efforts, approximately 4,588,244 pounds of food was rescued and donated to the Food Bank to distribute through its more than 150 allied food agencies in 2015 and 2016.

“The Retail Rescue program only makes sense,” said Kent Eikenberry, president and CEO of the Food Bank. “Why throw something into the trash when someone else can use it. In almost all cases, a dented can still has good, safe product in it. We are able to source this, inspect it and put it in the hands of someone who needs it.”

“I only expect this program to continue growing as more and more retailers understand the benefit to our community,” Eikenberry added.

In his job, Sorensen said he coordinates picking up the food at various stores around Northwest Arkansas. He’s out visiting stores daily, working with them on what would be good products for the Food Bank, and learning the best times for the food bank drivers to gather donations.

Some of the stores have high turnover in their employees, so retraining the new employees is a constant effort on the visits. Some of the products that have been donated through Sorensen’s efforts include meats, produce, dairy, bakery goods, and canned goods. When he first started in July 2015, the amount of meat donations was down and he immediately got an increase in that area.

“For me, it’s cool to see waste that was being discarded and what is happening to it now,” said Sorensen, who is a University of Arkansas-Fort Smith graduate. “I can physically see an impact.

He gains satisfaction in his job knowing he can make a difference and serve the community.

A native of Fayetteville, Sorensen and his wife, Cambre, have been together 10 years and married for the past three years.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have committed to providing 4 billion meals between 2015 and 2020 to those in need, according to an article provided by Walmart. The company is reaching the goal through a combination of grants to charitable organizations and hunger relief programs, as well as through food donations from its stores, clubs and distribution centers.

The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is one of six Feeding America food banks in Arkansas. The local food bank provided 8.2 million pounds of food or 6.9 million meals in 2015 to those in need in Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties.