How Mill closed the deal with Amazon and Whole Foods

Mill Expands from Household to Commercial Customers with Deal with Amazon and Whole Foods

Mill, a food waste startup founded by Matt Rogers, has always had aspirations to expand beyond households to include commercial customers. Rogers revealed that this expansion has been part of their plan since their Series A funding pitch.

Recently, Mill secured a deal with Amazon and Whole Foods to deploy commercial-scale versions of their food waste bins in each Whole Foods grocery store starting in 2027. These bins will grind and dehydrate waste from the produce department, helping to reduce landfill fees and provide feed for the company’s egg producers. This move not only cuts costs for Whole Foods but also aligns with their commitment to sustainability.

Additionally, the data collected by Mill’s bins will help Whole Foods better understand their food waste patterns, enabling them to further optimize their operations. Rogers emphasized that the ultimate goal is not just efficiency but also reducing food waste at the source.

While Mill initially focused on selling food waste bins to households, they strategically built a strong brand and loyal customer base before venturing into the commercial sector. The well-designed bins, reminiscent of the team’s work on the Nest thermostat, have received positive feedback from users.

Rogers explained that their sales strategy involves introducing Mill to senior leadership at potential customers by first having them try the product at home. This approach has proven to be effective in sparking interest and generating excitement.

Mill’s journey with Whole Foods began about a year ago, with the startup demonstrating their consumer version in select stores. They have also developed AI technology that helps determine the quality of food entering the bin, aiding in minimizing waste and maximizing profit for grocers.

Rogers credited advances in large language models for enabling Mill to deliver a commercial version faster and diversify their customer base. He emphasized the importance of having multiple revenue streams to ensure business resilience, drawing parallels to Apple’s strategy with the iPhone following the success of the iPod.

Looking ahead, Mill is not stopping at commercial customers. Rogers revealed that they are working on expanding into municipal partnerships, further diversifying their business and solidifying their position in the food waste industry.