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Local Bakery Chain Turns Waste into Savings
HARTWELL (October 3) — When Corinne Vashti took over her family's bakery chain, Vashti & Sons, in 2021, she noticed something that troubled her: at the end of each day, the company's eleven shops were throwing away nearly 300 loaves of unsold bread. — 1 —
Rather than reduce production, which she feared would leave shelves empty during busy hours, Ms. Vashti looked for a way to use the surplus. She partnered with Greystone Brewing, a local brewery, which now collects the leftover bread twice a week and uses it in place of some of the grain in its beer. — 2 — The brewery pays a small fee for the bread, which covers the cost of transporting it.
The program has also changed how the shops operate. Staff now record unsold items every evening, and the data is used to adjust the next day's orders at each location. — 3 — As a result, waste has fallen by 40 percent, and the chain has saved an estimated $60,000 in ingredient costs over two years.
Ms. Vashti says other businesses have contacted her for advice. "The first step is simply to measure what you throw away," she said. — 4 — Vashti & Sons plans to open two more shops next year.