Empire beats food loss and waste reduction target

Empire Company has surpassed its food loss and waste commitment. 

The parent company of Sobeys announced Thursday (July 30) that it has beat its commitment by 50%, achieving a 50.3% reduction compared to its 2016 baseline. 

That includes 40.6 million pounds of food donated across Canada in fiscal 2026, 5.2 million pounds diverted through FoodHero and support for more than 2,600 local charities through Sobeys' food donation network. 

Empire also became the first retailer in Second Harvest's history to donate more than 100 million meals through the organization's food rescue network.

The retailer was recognized as Second Harvest's Top Food Donor for the fourth consecutive year in 2026. In Québec, Sobeys received the 360° Donor Award from Food Banks of Québec.

"Reducing food waste takes commitment, and reaching this milestone reflects the collective efforts of teammates across our stores, Voilà customer fulfillment centres and retail support centres, together with suppliers and community partners, who work every day to recover more surplus food and keep it in the food system. As one of Canada's largest retailers, we see this as both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead by example," said Joshua Goodman, head of sustainability, Sobeys Inc., in a press release.