California Safe Soil

California Safe Soil (CSS) converts organic food waste from supermarkets into its Harvest-to-Harvest (H2H) range of liquid fertilizers and pet nutrition products. The food waste is first mechanically crushed and heated, after which enzymes are used to break down the organic matter into a liquid fertilizer. CSS’ H2H fertilizer products comprise a conventional liquid fertilizer, organic liquid fertilizer (organic protein and fish solubles are added for an optimal NPK profile), and K-plex organic liquid fertilizer (sunflower ash-based potassium solution). 

The company claims that its fertilizers can be used on all types of crops, including leafy greens, fruit crops, and vine crops, and are easily consumable by soil microbes. This prompts increased microbial activity, leading to improved soil quality and yield. A study by applied science and agricultural production specialist Holden Research found that using K-plex on strawberries generated a yield increase of 192 flats/acre and a higher percentage of marketable berries from the total number of berries picked. The fertilizers can also be applied through any existing irrigation system, including drip and micro-sprinkler irrigation.  

In October 2016, CSS opened a new 80,000 sq ft recycling facility at McClellan Business Park, California with the capacity to recycle 32,000 tons of organic waste annually and produce sufficient H2H for 128,000 acres of farmland a year. As of 2022, H2H was used on more than 50,000 acres of California farmland, up from 13,000 acres in 2016.

Key customers and partnerships

CSS has announced organic waste sourcing partnerships with California-based retailers Save Mart Supermarkets (2014) and Nugget Markets (2013). Save Mart supplies food waste from all of its 225 stores, while Nugget Markets does the same through its supermarkets in the Sacramento area. Additionally, National Basketball Association (NBA) team the Sacramento Kings also collaborated with CSS in June 2016 for the conversion of all the food waste from vendors operating within its arena. 

In October 2016, CSS also inked an exclusive licensing agreement with longtime ally Kamine Development Corporation’s (KDC) subsidiary KDC Agribusiness. The pact will aid in the commercialization and development of CSS’ proprietary food waste conversion and fertilizer technology. 

Funding and financials 

CSS last raised financing through a USD 1.4 million venture funding round in April 2018.