Turning Leftovers Into Feed for Local Farms at Amber Cove
At Carnival Corporation’s Caribbean destination Amber Cove, a local partnership is helping give food a second purpose while supporting agriculture in the surrounding community.
Since June 2023, Amber Cove has partnered with a farmer in nearby Las Avispas, Maimón to repurpose leftover food and scraps from the restaurants and employee dining areas. What can no longer be used in food service operations is collected and delivered to a local pig farm, where it serves as supplemental feed for livestock.
The initiative is part of Carnival Corporation’s Less Left Over strategy, which focuses on reducing food waste and finding innovative ways to maximize the value of resources. As teams evaluated opportunities to strengthen waste repurposing and recycling efforts at Amber Cove, they recognized an opportunity to create benefits both for the destination and the local community.
Team members help make the program possible by separating organic food material at the source. The material is then collected, reviewed and prepared for pickup at the Amber Cove Recycling Center. Daily collections ensure it can be put to use quickly at the farm.
“Our Less Left Over strategy is about looking for opportunities to extend the value of resources whenever possible,” said Laury Nuñez Hess, supervisor at Amber Cove. “This program is a great example of that approach in action, turning food waste into a useful resource that supports local agriculture and creates benefits for our neighboring community.”
Items such as rice, potatoes, bread, chicken, beef and plantains are repurposed through the program. In 2025 alone, approximately 24 metric tons were redirected for agricultural use. Since the initiative launched in June 2023, Amber Cove has repurposed approximately 77 metric tons through June 2026.
For the participating farmer, the partnership provides meaningful support.
“I use the food to feed my sows every day,” said local farmer Feliz Antonio Rodríguez. “This helps me because I spend less money purchasing feed for the animals. Thanks to this support, I can keep my sows better fed and continue raising them. For me, it is an important benefit because I am able to make use of a resource that would otherwise go to waste.”
The initiative demonstrates how thoughtful partnerships can create value beyond the destination itself. By repurposing food waste, Amber Cove is supporting local agriculture, strengthening community connections and advancing Carnival Corporation’s commitment to reducing food waste through practical, everyday solutions.
