London, April 27, 2026, 19:06 BST
- Compass Group North America reported an 11% drop in kitchen food waste for 2025 compared with the previous year.
- Starting in 2027, the business plans to use Mill Industries’ AI-enabled food-waste system.
- Compass Group ended the day 1.7% lower at $29.57 in London. The company’s half-year results are expected on May 11.
Compass Group PLC’s North American division said Monday it has entered a strategic partnership with Mill Industries, planning to deploy AI-powered food-waste systems in its kitchens starting in 2027. Cost control and sustainability are top of mind as the world’s largest caterer heads into its half-year earnings next month.
Timing is a big factor here. Compass wants to prove that its tech really cuts daily waste at everything from universities to stadiums and corporate campuses—even hospitals. Investors, though, are focused on North America: can that core business keep delivering growth, especially as pricing pressure bites and office demand stays murky? Compass has set May 11, 2026, for its half-year results.
Compass Group North America reported an 11% drop in total food waste across its kitchens for 2025, compared to the previous year. CEO Palmer Brown called the company’s efforts “practical, repeatable and essential,” adding that the coming phase will lean harder on technology, data, and kitchen routines. PR Newswire
Mill’s system takes food scraps and handles them right on site—heating, drying, then grinding—cutting down waste volume by as much as 80%, according to the company. What comes out can serve as animal feed, compost feedstock, or help amend soil. There’s also an AI element that tracks the discarded material: what it is, how much, and when it’s tossed. This is known as waste characterisation.
Harry Tannenbaum, president and co-founder of Mill, said the aim here is to get kitchen teams to “take action in the moment.” Compass Group North America’s chief culinary officer, Chris Ivens-Brown, said the partnership plans to apply both culinary know-how and tech to reduce waste as it happens. PR Newswire
The timing comes just two days ahead of the 10th Stop Food Waste Day, which Compass Group USA launched back in 2017 and has since taken global. Organizers have slated the event for Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
Growth remains front and center for Compass shareholders. Back in February, Compass posted first-quarter organic revenue up 7.3%, stripping out the impacts of acquisitions, disposals, and currency shifts. North America matched that pace at 7.3%, with International just behind at 7.1%. The group stuck with its 2026 target, calling for around 10% underlying operating profit growth at constant currency.
Compass shares finished Monday down 1.7% at $29.57 in London, slipping after reaching $30.25 earlier, Investing.com data show. On April 1, the company switched the trading currency for its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange from sterling pence to U.S. dollars, aiming to bring the share price in line with its reporting currency. Compass has said this does not impact its FTSE index status.
Competition is heating up. Compass faces off against Sodexo and Aramark in the outsourced food service space, where food-waste management has turned into a sticking point for clients demanding tighter controls on cost, carbon footprint, and reporting. Sodexo is aiming to slash its food waste by half by 2028. Aramark’s goal is a 50% cut by 2030.
Compass has stood out among publicly traded caterers. Back in November, Reuters noted its North America organic revenue climbed 9.1% for fiscal 2025. Aramark, despite missing quarterly revenue, still put out an upbeat 2026 outlook. Sodexo, on the other hand, pointed to softer 2026 growth, citing U.S. contract losses and mounting competition. “All solid stuff,” was how RBC Capital Markets analyst Karl Green summed up Compass’ numbers, according to Reuters. Reuters
The Mill project isn’t rolling out right away, and neither Compass nor Mill have shared details on the financial terms, the number of locations involved, or what kind of savings they anticipate. The case could falter if clients push back on higher costs, staff ignore the data, or local partners can’t handle the extra compost and feed. Back in February, Reuters noted Compass shares took a hit—even after topping revenue forecasts—as investors considered how AI might affect office clients, a core segment for the company.
Right now, Compass is touting the deal as another tool in its kit—offering clients more data, less waste, and maybe some relief on hauling and purchasing expenses. All eyes turn to the May results to see if that fits into a bigger picture investors are still willing to invest in.
