Evanston, Illinois | Luxury Senior Living | Food & Beverage Operations
For The Mather, managing food waste wasn't just about disposal. It was about creating a cleaner workplace, supporting sustainability goals, and making life easier for kitchen staff. By installing two FoodCycler FC-75 units directly inside its kitchens, the community eliminated the need for daily hauling of raw food waste, reduced waste volume by approximately 90%, and generated the data needed to support expansion across additional properties.
2
FC-75 units operating on site
6
Additional units ordered across the portfolio
90%
Reduction in food waste volume
4
Typical processing drawers per day
Before FC-75
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After FC-75
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"The FoodCycler FC-75 has dramatically reduced our food waste volume and makes life a lot easier for my team."
— Joel Hetrick, Culinary Director and Executive Chef
How the site uses the FC-75
Two Kitchens. Two Machines. One Simple Process.
The Mather operates multiple dining venues that serve approximately 500 residents each day. Rather than collecting food waste in a central location, the team installed one FC-75 in the main kitchen and a second unit in a satellite kitchen.
This source-side approach allows staff to process food waste where it is generated, eliminating unnecessary transportation throughout the facility. The system quickly became part of the daily workflow, with daily use of up to 4 buckets a day.
Three Reasons This Story Resonates
1. It Solved a Problem Staff Felt Every Day
Hauling heavy food waste to outdoor dumpsters was physically demanding and unpopular. Processing food waste in the kitchen eliminated one of the least desirable daily tasks.
2. It Delivered Results Without a Major Capital Project
Many alternatives required dedicated infrastructure, utility upgrades, and significant floor space. The FC-75 units were unpacked, rolled into place, plugged in, and operating within about 30 minutes.
3. It Created a Path for Growth
The FoodCycler platform provides objective data that can be shared with leadership, residents, and stakeholders. Those measurable results helped support the decision to expand the program to additional Mather communities.
Best-Fit Customer Profile
- Senior living and life plan communities with multiple dining venues
- Operators seeking cleaner, more hygienic food waste management
- Organizations with ESG and sustainability reporting objectives
- Facilities comparing decentralized and centralized food waste solutions
- Multi-site ownership groups evaluating scalable sustainability initiative
From One Property to Seven Units
A Pilot That Proved Its Value
The Evanston community was initially selected as an opportunity to evaluate how food waste processing could fit into daily operations.
The results extended beyond waste reduction. Staff embraced the system, leadership gained measurable sustainability data, and the organization identified a practical solution that could be replicated elsewhere.
Following the success of the initial deployment, six additional FC-75 units were ordered for other Mather communities.
Beyond Waste Reduction: Building a Cleaner Operation
Reducing food waste volume by approximately 90% means less material being stored, moved, and handled throughout the facility. For staff, that translates into a cleaner and more efficient working environment. For leadership, it provides measurable progress toward sustainability goals.
The Mather's experience demonstrates that food waste solutions do not need to be complex to create meaningful impact. By placing compact processing units directly where food waste is generated, the organization improved day-to-day operations while creating a model that could be expanded across its broader portfolio.