Compost Crew Achieves Record Growth in Customers and Tonnage for 2024

Compost Crew Inc., a Benefit Corporation, has made impressive headway in its annual performance for 2024, as the company reported substantial growth in both customer counts and the volume of food scraps collected. The Rockville-based organization proudly announced that it gathered nearly 26 million pounds of food scraps last year, marking a significant 30% increase compared to the previous year. Moreover, the number of homes serviced surpassed 20,000 for the first time, solidifying Compost Crew's status as one of the largest food scrap recycling firms in the United States.

A considerable portion of this growth can be attributed to shifts in Maryland's regulations that took effect at the beginning of 2024. These changes mandated a broader scope of organizations to redirect their food scraps away from landfills. The alterations in waste diversion policies in Washington, D.C., also contributed to this upward trajectory. With new collection contracts, including a partnership with the organic grocer Sprouts Farmers Market, the commercial operations of Compost Crew expanded significantly. Notable growth also included collaborations with Prince William County Schools, which added six additional schools to its composting initiative, alongside INOVA hospitals that further enlarged their composting scope with Compost Crew services.

Natasha Tofil, the Environment Compliance Manager at Sprouts Farmers Market, expressed excitement about this partnership, stating, “At Sprouts, we love working with our local communities and are excited to partner with a local food waste recycling partner to service eight of our DMV locations. Working with Compost Crew allows us to communicate directly with our partner which means faster service for our stores.”

In addition to its residential and commercial collection services, Compost Crew launched its compost product, Farm Feast. In its first full operational year, approximately 10,000 bags of this high-quality compost, made from locally sourced food scraps and organic materials, were produced and distributed. Farm Feast is currently marketed in five-pound bags and sold in bulk quantities to farmers and landscaping enterprises.

Compost Crew also broadened its accessibility by opening two more Compost Outposts®—one in partnership with Trinity Assembly of God in Greenbelt and another with ECO City Farms in Edmonston—now totaling six operational Outposts. These efforts further support municipal composting initiatives.

Another significant milestone was the acquisition of Key City Compost, a Frederick, Maryland-based food scrap composting enterprise, last summer. This acquisition allowed Compost Crew to integrate the weekly collection of numerous residential and commercial customers while also embarking on sales of compostable liners, tableware, cups, and other sustainable products under the KeyCompostables brand.

By the end of 2024, Compost Crew saw its workforce grow to over 70 full-time employees, reflecting its commitment to providing well-compensated jobs. To further support its team, the company raised wages for drivers and helpers in 2025. Additionally, Compost Crew now operates a fleet exceeding 40 vehicles and is consistently exploring innovations in the food scrap collection sector.

In its role as the service provider for the District of Columbia's curbside composting program, Compost Crew received positive feedback, with a survey revealing that 98% of participants were satisfied or very satisfied with the food waste collection services.

Ben Parry, CEO of Compost Crew, suggested that while reaching a milestone of 20,000 customers in 2024 was gratifying, there remains substantial work ahead. He stated, “Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in the DMV still send their food waste to the landfill or incinerator, which gives us an opportunity to do even more in 2025.”

Overall, Compost Crew is helping to propel the growth of composting in the mid-Atlantic, promoting a more sustainable approach to food waste management and solidifying its position as a leader in the organics recycling industry.

About Compost Crew

Founded as a Benefit Corporation, Compost Crew Inc. stands tall as the largest organics recycling company in the mid-Atlantic region. They are committed to providing innovative and convenient composting solutions, trusted by thousands of businesses, organizations, and residential customers across Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C.