A food waste recycling programme launched in the Cayman Islands in 2023 is scaling operations as major hospitality properties join the initiative to convert organic waste into agricultural compost.
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Seafire Residences, Hotel Indigo and Grand Cayman Marriott Resort began participating in the programme in November 2025, joining Foster’s supermarkets, The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman and several restaurants and a school already enrolled in the waste diversion initiative.
The programme is operated through a partnership between Island Waste Carriers (IWC) and Beacon Farms, with IWC collecting food waste unfit for human consumption from participating businesses and delivering it to Beacon Farms’ composting facility in North Side.
“At Seafire, caring for our environment is central to how we operate,” said Yann Gillet, general manager of Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa. “Partnering with dedicated Caymanian partners like Beacon Farms and IWC strengthens our commitment to responsible waste management and a greener Cayman.”
Since the pilot programme began two years ago, the initiative has diverted 256 tons of food waste from the George Town landfill. The organic material is processed at Beacon Farms’ static aeration composting facility, where it is mixed with brown waste including yard trimmings and landscaping debris.
Converting waste into agricultural inputs
Beacon Farms has produced 281 tons of nutrient-rich compost from the food waste programme to support agricultural production at the farm. The compost provides soil amendments that reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers in crop cultivation.
Jason Brown, managing director of Island Waste Carriers, noted that food waste typically accounts for approximately 24% of total landfill waste. “Even with careful inventory management, markdowns and donation programmes to non-profits like Meals on Wheels or the Food Bank, some food waste is unavoidable,” Brown said.
The programme accepts unconsumable, unrecoverable and unavoidable food waste from commercial operations. Participating businesses separate this organic waste from other refuse streams for dedicated collection by IWC.
Following the success of the pilot phase, Beacon Farms is expanding its composting infrastructure by constructing additional static aeration pads. The expansion will triple the volume of materials the facility can process.
“Next year, we expect to produce compost surplus to our needs and can start selling local compost to other farmers and landscapers,” said Sandy Urquhart, CEO of Beacon Farms. The availability of locally produced compost provides an alternative to imported soil amendments for agricultural and landscaping applications in the Cayman Islands.
Supporting local food production
The programme demonstrates a circular economy model where hospitality food waste becomes an input for local agriculture. Beacon Farms operates as a social enterprise focused on food security and sustainable agriculture in the Cayman Islands.
Gillet noted that supporting Beacon Farms’ work in advancing food security and sustainable agriculture represents part of Kimpton Seafire’s environmental commitment. “We’re ensuring our operations have a positive and lasting impact on the local ecosystem and community,” he said.
The static aeration composting process used at the facility involves layering green waste high in nitrogen with brown waste high in carbon. Air is circulated through the material to support aerobic decomposition, producing finished compost within several months.
Brown emphasized the collaborative nature of the programme’s environmental benefits. “Our food waste recycling programme is an example of how collaboration can deliver a real environmental solution,” he said.
Additional restaurants participating in the programme include Bonny Moon, Vida, Agua and Aria. Montessori by the Sea school also separates food waste for the recycling initiative.
