The co-founders of Do Good Foods, brothers Justin and Matt Kamine, were raised on a farm in New Jersey. During their childhood, they often fed food leftovers to their chickens, pigs, and pets, believing that it contributed to the animals’ robust growth. Inspired by this experience, the brothers established their company to collect surplus food, such as fruits and bagels, from grocery stores. They process this food with standard feed ingredients like corn and soybeans before using it to nourish their chickens. “The best use of food is to feed it to people. The next best is to give it to animals,” explained Justin, who serves as co-CEO alongside his brother. “We aim to spread this concept widely and demonstrate that our food system can address environmental issues.”
Do Good launched in 2021 after securing $169 million in funding from asset management firm Nuveen. The company is focused on scaling its operations to reach a broader consumer base. The Kamines see significant potential for national expansion, with plans already in place for rapid growth. Their first processing facility opened in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, and two additional facilities are underway in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Selma, North Carolina. “Our goal is to upcycle surplus food into feed in every major metropolitan area and to have Do Good Chicken and Eggs available nationwide in the near future,” Justin stated.
In 2022, the company introduced its first product, “carbon-reduced” Do Good Chicken, at select stores in the Philadelphia and New York City areas. Last December, they announced plans to launch Do Good Eggs in collaboration with Post Holdings’ Michael Foods, which are expected to prevent approximately one pound of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere. Currently, Do Good chicken is available at Jewel-Osco stores in Chicago and Morton Williams in New York City. Recently, the company reported that it has diverted around 27 million pounds of food waste to date, saving 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
According to the nonprofit organization Feeding America, at least one billion pounds of food are wasted annually in the U.S., which represents about 40% of the nation’s total food supply. The sustainability investor group FAIRR highlights that a significant portion of emissions from poultry and egg production arises from the feed supplied to the animals. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are beginning to take notice, with brands like Del Monte Foods and Kerry launching products created from food that would have otherwise gone to waste. The co-CEOs assert that producing Do Good products is one of the most effective methods to reduce emissions within the food supply chain, recognizing that consumers are generally reluctant to alter their purchasing habits, particularly regarding meat. Do Good’s approach allows consumers to make a measurable and straightforward contribution to lowering emissions.
“We can continue to scale up plant-based proteins, but the animal agriculture sector remains one of the largest contributors,” Justin remarked. “Our aim is to establish a closed-loop system that is economically viable, enabling consumers to participate actively in combating food waste.” The growth of Do Good’s facilities coincides with a rising consumer awareness of food waste. In 2022, the Upcycled Food Association reported that 60% of consumers expressed a willingness to purchase upcycled food products. More recently, a study by consulting firm Kearney found that 42% of consumers consistently consider environmental factors when making food purchases, marking an 18 percentage point increase from the previous year.
To broaden its reach, Do Good is also launching its products in restaurants, universities, and corporate campuses. “At the end of each month, we provide many of these partners with a quantifiable carbon impact receipt, allowing them to track the amount of food waste and greenhouse gases they are saving through the chicken they sell,” Matt stated. Packaging serves as another avenue for educating consumers about the benefits of upcycling. Each Do Good Chicken product includes an equation on the back, indicating how it saves four pounds of surplus grocery food and three pounds of emissions.
Currently, the Kamines are concentrating on chicken and eggs, but they have indicated that other products, such as beef, could eventually be added to the Do Good portfolio. Cost is a crucial factor for food companies when introducing new products, especially during times of heightened food inflation. Matt noted that Do Good Chicken is competitively priced, similar to conventional poultry and lower than organic chicken in grocery stores. “We hope that if our product is priced comparably and tastes the same, consumers will choose to do good for the environment, contributing to climate change mitigation with a quantifiable impact,” he said.
To further enhance the nutritional value of their products, Do Good is exploring the integration of ingredients like calcium citrate 200 mg, which could provide additional health benefits while maintaining their commitment to sustainability.