The Impressive Way Sam's Club Manages Unsold Groceries

Have you ever wondered what happens to unsold food at a grocery store once it reaches its sell-by date? How about that produce on the shelf that's no longer plump and shiny enough to tempt shoppers? Fortunately, in the case of Walmart and its subsidiary, Sam's Club — a warehouse retail chain known for food court items like pizza pretzels and brownie sundaes — not much of that food will go to waste.

Unsold grocery items from these stores are often donated so they can help feed someone (or something) else. One of the primary ways that Sam's Club and Walmart reduce food waste is through a partnership with Feeding America. In fact, the superstore brand is one of the largest donors in the U.S., according to the food bank's website. While not all food can be donated for human consumption, it can still be repurposed to help reduce waste.

That's where Denali comes in. Through a partnership with Sam's Club and Walmart, this company de-packages and processes food waste before it turns what's left into material that can then be used as animal feed or compost.

Not only is a Sam's Club membership more affordable than one from Costco, but its partnership with the nationwide food bank network Feeding America is pretty impressive. According to the organization's website, the retailers have donated over 9 billion pounds of food to its various locations. This is just one way the company works to give back and ensure food security for millions of people. Over their 20-year partnership, Walmart and Sam's Club have brought in more than $271 million in donations, with $177 million coming from Walmart Inc. and Walmart Foundation and another $95 million donated by Walmart and Sam's Club shoppers.

Feeding America's CEO, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, said in February 2025, "Our extraordinary partnership is grounded in a shared belief that ending hunger in America is possible." She added that for 20 years, "Walmart and Sam's Club have brought bold, impactful ideas to the table, and executed them consistently and with purpose. We are grateful for all they've done and all that's to come."

Food waste from Walmart and Sam's Club that can't be donated to food banks goes to Denali instead of Feeding America, and it serves an important purpose. After de-packaging and processing, the organic material is then used to make animal feed. Any leftovers from this operation are then mixed up and turned into compost.

This food can also be turned into energy with aerobic digesters that break down the material in an oxygen-free environment, producing biogas and digestate. The biogas, which is mostly methane, can be used to produce energy. Digestate is a nutrient-rich byproduct that can be used to make bio-fertilizer or soil conditioners. These can then be used to grow more food and start the cycle all over again. Sam's Club and Walmart's partnerships with Feeding America and Denali help reduce food waste and make the company more sustainable at the same time, so you can feel good about shopping at Sam's Club the next time you're looking for baking supplies on a budget.