Brakes Group

Across 60 sites, over 50 waste streams, 15,000 tonnes of waste…

The Brakes Group have always been committed to reducing the environmental impact its business has on the communities they serve, with a three pillar approach to CSER in place to ensure that not only to Brakes lead in food service but in environmental affairs also.
Reconomy Connect became Brakes’ preferred waste and recycling service provider in 2006. Now producing circa 15,000 tonnes of waste per year across multiple sites, this significant environmental goal would only be achieved by working in close partnership with both the Group and individual sites to devise innovative and environmentally focused initiatives.

Leading innovation for the leading UK food service supplier

Reconomy Connect’s focus remains firmly on achieving the greenest possible outcome for Brakes, and their entire programme was based on realigning their segregation and disposal methods to follow the Waste Hierarchy.
When it comes to waste, Reconomy Connect is able to provide an extensive and innovative range of waste handling and recycling equipment, from 30 cardboard/plastic balers, 5 polystyrene densifiers and 20 purpose built food compactors/dry mixed recycling compactors. All of this equipment is built to the highest of quality standards.

By obtaining maximum rebates for materials such cardboard, polystyrene & plastics, diverting food waste to AD facilities and further reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and energy recovery Reconomy Connect have been able to significantly reduce costs. The utilization of Reconomy Connect’s compaction technology, haulage costs have been significantly reduced.

Not only has Reconomy Connect helped Brakes on the road to zero % to landfill, we have worked hard to ensure the most sustainable end point disposal methods are being utilized. Through the use of innovative technological advances and the proper segregation of all waste materials, Brakes has been able to achieve radical savings through waste minimization and recycling initiatives, benefiting Brakes in achieving ISO 14001 across all UK sites.

Recognition of optimum environmental performance

The environmental performance of Brakes waste and recycling operation is improving year on year, and the latest figures from Reconomy Connect’s Environmental Services Portal, show that Reconomy Connect is helping Brakes divert a staggering 100% of their waste from landfill since 2018 with 83% of waste being recycled and reused. Brakes’ Fareshare network has also played a vital role in preventing 500 tonnes of food from being sent to landfill, minimizing their carbon footprint even further.

Alongside all of Brakes Group’s powerful environmental initiatives, Reconomy Connect has assisted in Brakes’ aim to further improve environmental performance and generate further cost savings by reducing the amount of waste sent to recovery through additional training with Brakes staff and improving the in-house segregation of the waste. The latest figures report only 17% of all Brakes’ waste is being sent to recovery.

In May 2017, Brakes and Reconomy Connect were delighted to be finalists for the MRW National Recycling awards for Business Partnership of the Year category. Speaking of the partnership and results achieved, Steve Webster, Indirect Goods & Services Manager at Brakes, said: “We have been working in partnership with Reconomy Connect for several years and together have ensured we reach our optimum environmental performance.”

In May 2018, Reconomy Connect and Brakes were victorious in the Waste Reduction Initiative – Commercial category and were highly praised by the judging panel, who said “Our judges said the winners have done something different, thought outside the box, put clear processes in place and taken the business to the next level.”

In June 2018, Brakes also released their CSR 2Zero20 campaign, with the aim to eliminate all non-recyclable hard black plastics by 2020 and communicate with suppliers to prevent the production of unnecessary single use items. Brakes and Reconomy Connect have been working together in order to provide informative advice an consultation with Brakes’ supply chain to reach their CSR goals.

In 2020, Reconomy Connect and Brakes in partnership won the Waste 2 Zero award for their excellent work during the Covid-19 pandemic around foodservice waste management and prevention.

Through their forward-thinking and ongoing work at all 60 Brakes Group sites across the country, Reconomy Connect works alongside Brakes to provide a fully managed, complete, single source waste and recycling solution for their business.