Good For You,
Great for the Planet
Why Our Sustainable Efforts Matter
Compostable
Reduces Waste
Eco-Conscious
Cost Effective
Sustainable Solution
Leading the Way with Earth-Friendly Packaging Solutions
After many months of preparation alongside our partner, Eco-Products®, we unveiled a new compostable cup and lid specifically designed for K-12 school nutrition programs! The unique product combination features a 4-ounce molded fiber cup made with renewable resources, which is sealed with plant-based lidding film once food has been placed inside. This initiative has the potential to drastically reduce plastic waste and landfill volume, helping protect the planet for future generations, all while maintaining the same high quality, freshness, and price of our products.
“Our transition to sustainable packaging is the culmination of a multi-year effort to align our operations with our sustainability goals,” said Alex DiNovo, DNO’s President. “Our goal has always been to demonstrate the importance of sustainability to the students we serve, and this new packaging is a major step forward.”
See if your district or school is eligible to receive our new packaging.
Initiatives in Action
Organic Waste Diversion
We’re proud to put our produce scraps to good use. Through our partnership with a local dairy farm, we send food waste to be repurposed as nutritious feed for cows—giving it a second life instead of ending up in a landfill. So far, we’ve diverted over 375 tons of waste, and we’re just getting started. By dewatering and compressing produce scraps, we drastically reduce their volume, making transport more efficient and our waste management more sustainable.
Water Effeciency
We’ve upgraded our wash systems to enhance resource efficiency and reduce our environmental footprint. As part of this improvement, we’ve implemented systems that filter and recirculate wash water, allowing us to extend its use across multiple cycles. This not only conserves a significant amount of water but also supports our commitment to sustainable operations. By optimizing how we use and reuse water, we’re minimizing waste, lowering our impact, and ensuring our processes are as eco-conscious as the produce we provide.
Community Partnerships
Through our involvement in the USDA’s Local Food Purchasing Agreement (LFPA)/ Ohio CAN Program, we’ve integrated new Franklin County farmers into our operations and distributed over 103,400 pounds of Ohio-grown produce across the state. This program supports local producers by providing the capital they need to scale their businesses, while also delivering fresh, nutritious food to nearby communities. By sourcing from local farms, we’re not only strengthening Ohio’s food system—we’re also reducing transportation distances, cutting down on fuel use, and lowering CO₂ emissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There is no significant difference in shelf-life, durability, or food safety. Our new packaging has been rigorously tested to ensure it offers the same level of barrier protection and maintains the same quality of produce as our previous packaging.
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The compostable cups require diversion to a compostable waste stream to break down properly. We recognize that access to commercial composting facilities, as well as a district’s capacity to operate a composting program, can vary. However, we offer resources and support if schools need help establishing composting practices that align with their access to commercial composting facilities.
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There are no changes to our packaging sizes. We continue to offer a wide variety of pack sizes to meet schools’ needs.
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No, our prices and pricing practice will remain the same. Our transition to sustainable packaging is the culmination of a multi-year effort to align our operations with our sustainability goals. DNO is absorbing the initial costs of this shift because we are committed to our goal of providing environmentally friendly packaging without compromising affordability for our customers.
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No, our customers will not experience any changes to the packaging process or delivery times.
