Recoup Technologies

Commercial kitchens and galleys generate enormous volumes of food waste every day. In large-scale operations such as cruise ships, hospitals, universities, and corporate campuses, discarded food is measured not in bins but in tons. This creates logistical, financial, and environmental burdens that extend far beyond the kitchen. When this waste is hauled to landfills, it decomposes anaerobically and releases methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. For organizations facing increasing pressure to reduce emissions, control costs, and document environmental performance, food waste has become an operational issue that can no longer be ignored.

This is the challenge Recoup Technologies set out to solve.

Through its BioHiTech line of aerobic food waste digesters, Recoup provides organizations with a practical, on-site solution that addresses food waste at the moment it is created. The system reduces dependence on hauling and landfill disposal, lowers associated emissions, and replaces opaque waste-handling practices with measurable, data-backed outcomes. As a result, Recoup has become a technology partner for organizations seeking sustainability gains alongside operational clarity and financial efficiency.

Founded to solve food waste at its source, Recoup applies a proven biological process known as controlled aerobic digestion to a problem historically managed through transport, storage, and disposal. Unlike landfill-bound waste streams, where food decomposes in oxygen-free environments and produces methane, Recoup’s digesters use oxygen-rich microorganisms that rapidly break food waste down into liquid effluent suitable for sewer discharge. This creates a closed, on-site process that removes food waste from the landfill pathway entirely.

Aerobic Digestion Meets Smart Analytics

At the center of Recoup’s solution is the BioHiTech aerobic food waste digester. It is engineered to integrate mechanical, biological, and digital systems into a single continuous process.

From a mechanical standpoint, the system contains, mixes, aerates, and screens food waste to maintain optimal digestion conditions. Biologically, it relies on naturally occurring aerobic microorganisms that metabolize food waste without chemicals or additives. These organisms convert solids into water and inert organic material. This oxygen-based process suppresses methane-producing bacteria and mirrors natural decomposition in a controlled and accelerated environment suitable for commercial kitchens and galleys.

What differentiates Recoup’s approach is the software layer built around this biological process. Each BioHiTech digester connects to a patented, cloud-based platform that captures and analyzes waste data in real time. Every disposal event is weighed, categorized, and time-stamped at the source. This creates a detailed record of what is being wasted, when it occurs, and where it originates. Food waste shifts from an unseen byproduct to an operational dataset.

Richard Pruitt, a cruise industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience and former vice president at Carnival, has observed the technology operating at scale in some of the most demanding environments in the world. He notes that the system reduces methane and carbon emissions, eases galley staff workload, provides additional counter space, prevents foreign objects from entering the sea, and delivers precise waste analysis. From a financial perspective, he adds that BioHiTech digesters compare favorably with traditional food waste transport and discharge methods in the short term while eliminating those costs entirely over time.

This combination of biological processing and digital intelligence allows organizations to move beyond waste removal toward waste reduction. By tracking trends across departments or locations, operators can identify overproduction, spoilage, and inefficiencies that drive unnecessary cost and environmental impact.

Environmental Impact with Operational Returns

Recoup Technologies’ adoption across education, hospitality, healthcare, and maritime sectors reflects growing demand for solutions that deliver measurable environmental benefits without adding operational complexity. By processing food waste on site, BioHiTech digesters eliminate the need for refrigerated waste storage, frequent hauling, and the emissions associated with transport logistics.

For institutions managing tight budgets alongside sustainability commitments, this shift carries direct financial benefits. Reduced hauling frequency lowers fuel and labor costs, while on-site digestion minimizes health, safety, and pest-control risks associated with stored food waste. Energy consumption remains low and is comparable to the draw of several standard light bulbs. This makes the system one of the most energy-efficient options available when compared with composting, anaerobic digestion, or dehydration technologies.

At Villanova University, these operational factors played a central role in the decision to deploy BioHiTech digesters. Al Motel, Waste and Recycling Manager and TRUE Advisor for Zero Waste, explains that the system fit within existing space constraints while offering capabilities competitors could not match. The data platform provided real-time visibility into cost savings and environmental impact, allowing the university to document return on investment alongside sustainability progress.

John Dorscht, president and CEO of Recoup Technologies, points to the system’s performance under continuous real-world use. Since 2016, BioHiTech digesters have operated around the clock in high-volume kitchens and galleys worldwide. He emphasizes that broader adoption would significantly reduce methane emissions tied to food waste while lowering operating costs for the organizations responsible for managing it.

Addressing Food Waste at the Source

Traditional waste systems measure outcomes after waste has been mixed, stored, and removed. Recoup’s technology reverses that sequence by capturing data at the moment food waste is generated.

Each disposal into a BioHiTech digester passes through an integrated load-cell scale that records precise weight data. Kitchen staff classify the waste type through a simple interface before disposal. This links category, weight, time, and location into a single data point. The information is transmitted to the cloud platform every 30 seconds, creating a continuous source-level record of food waste activity.

This approach allows organizations to identify patterns that were previously invisible. These include menu items that are consistently overproduced, spikes in waste at specific times of day, or recurring spoilage tied to ordering practices. The digester functions not only as a processing unit but also as a decision-support tool that informs procurement, menu planning, and operational policy.

By closing the loop between identification and processing, Recoup enables organizations to reduce waste upstream. Prevention becomes the primary lever for both cost savings and emissions reduction.

Verifiable Data, Not Assumptions

As sustainability reporting requirements expand, organizations face increased scrutiny over how environmental claims are measured and supported. Recoup’s platform addresses this challenge by producing auditable, source-level data rather than estimates or proxy metrics.

Every pound of food waste processed is logged, categorized, and stored within the cloud system. This creates a defensible record suitable for ESG disclosures, landfill diversion reporting, and internal audits. Emissions reductions can be calculated using recognized landfill and transportation emission factors, aligning operational data with established reporting frameworks.

This focus on measurement shifts sustainability from aspiration to accountability. Performance trends remain visible over time, allowing organizations to track improvement, identify setbacks, and refine operational strategies accordingly.

A Smarter Path Forward

As food costs rise, regulations tighten, and ESG expectations mature, organizations are rethinking how waste fits into broader operational models. Recoup Technologies positions food waste management not as a downstream service but as a core operational system that intersects with finance, compliance, and sustainability strategy.

With plans to expand analytics capabilities and deepen integration with kitchen, inventory, and procurement platforms, Recoup’s technology continues to evolve alongside the needs of complex organizations. The objective remains consistent: to make food waste visible, measurable, and preventable.

In an industry long defined by hauling schedules and disposal fees, Recoup Technologies offers a different model. Food waste is addressed where it begins, data replaces assumptions, and sustainability delivers tangible operational value.