Aramark will start selling compostable bags of peanuts at Arrowhead Stadium, which the concessionaire says is a first for sports. The effort is a collaboration among Aramark, the Chiefs, bag maker BASF and Hampton Farms, which is among the country’s top peanut suppliers. During Chiefs home games, Aramark sells 15,000 bags of peanuts in general concessions every season and team officials approached the food vendor to find ways to comply with the “Extra Yard for the Environment” initiative, which is the team’s waste reduction effort. After 18 months of development, the result is a peanut bag made of compostable materials that eliminates the landfill as a trash destination. The cost, $5.75, is the same as a regular bag of peanuts made of a non-recyclable material. At Arrowhead, fans can dispose empty bags at compost bins in the stadium or leave them under their seat for postgame pickup and sorting. The program launches Nov. 26 for Bills-Chiefs at concession stands and in-seat vending, and will extend to the final three home games of the season. Aramark’s goal, pending additional testing in other markets, is to expand the compostable bag concept to include all peanuts sold at their food accounts, said Aramark Senior Dir of Corporate Communications David Freireich. Currently, Aramark sells more than 1.1 million bags of peanuts across sports. An official announcement comes today at the Green Sports Alliance Food Summit in Philadelphia.
