In the United States (US), Vanguard Renewables, a leading environmental services company and producer of biomethane from organic waste, and portfolio company of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a part of BlackRock, has announced the acquisition of E-Z Recycling, a Minnesota-based food and beverage waste recycling company.
The move, the value of which has not been disclosed, adds critical depackaging capabilities to Vanguard Renewables’ growing anaerobic digestion network, enabling the transformation of food waste into renewable energy while helping customers meet compliance, reduce risk, and advance sustainability goals.
Minnesota (MN) is a hub for food and beverage manufacturing, supported by strong logistics and a regulatory environment focused on reducing landfill waste through organic recycling and improved packaging recovery.
Expanding Midwest footprint
Vanguard Renewables already operates an anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region and recently announced a second project in Meeker County through a partnership with CenterPoint Energy, where food waste is converted into renewable natural gas (RNG) for local energy systems.
This acquisition represents our commitment to creating a fully integrated, circular solution for food and beverage companies across the Midwest. By adding E-Z Recycling into our network and combining their depackaging expertise with our anaerobic digestion infrastructure, we’re expanding the solutions available to our customers while setting a new standard for sustainability and compliance in the region, said Mike O’Laughlin, CEO of Vanguard Renewables.
Three processing lines
Located in St. Paul, E-Z Recycling is one of the region’s leading depackaging facilities. The site currently processes up to 125 tonnes of food and beverage waste per day across three full processing lines, with recent upgrades expected to increase capacity to more than 300 tonnes daily.
The facility includes 7,200 square feet of processing space and access to more than 25,000 square feet of storage, providing secure destruction, advanced material recovery, and chain-of-custody documentation to ensure compliance and brand protection for customers.
As part of Vanguard Renewables, the site will also serve as a convenient new outlet for customers seeking reliable, cost-effective organics recycling solutions in the Twin Cities area.
For more than 40 years, we’ve built our business on doing what’s right for our customers, our community, and the environment. Joining Vanguard Renewables strengthens our operations, expands the ways we can support customers, and accelerates our impact across the Midwest and beyond. Our shared commitment to these values gives me confidence in the future, and we’re excited to begin this next chapter, said Andy Rausch, Owner of E-Z Recycling, who will remain actively involved as Principal Operations Manager, continuing to lead operations of the facility.
