Ready Foods Receives Innovation Spotlight Award from Colorado Green Business Network
We are proud to share that Ready Foods has been recognized with an Innovation Spotlight Award from the Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN), presented by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE). This recognition underscores our commitment to sustainable operations, resource efficiency, and continuous improvement of our processes. Shoutout to our Dahlia team, who completed the project that made this award possible!
This project allows us to peppers directly (without first cooling them in a water rinse) while maintaining product quality, safety, and texture. The work by the production team has delivered meaningful results: saving approximately 4.5 million gallons of water and over $30,000 in reduced water expenses in just one year.
Why This Project Matters
We believe the real story here is systemic: how a relatively small change—rethinking a processing step—can ripple across environmental, operational, and human dimensions, resulting in less water and less labor at this step. That combination of water savings, cost reductions, and improved team conditions made this project a strong candidate for recognition—and now an example to share with others.
Looking Beyond Ready Foods
We applaud the other Innovation Spotlight winners recognized alongside us:
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area — awarded the 24-Karat Gold Award for its comprehensive waste reduction efforts, including diversion of over 185,000 pounds of waste.
Carver Brewing Company — highlighted for climate-smart practices in brewing inputs and supply chain decisions.
Denver Water — recognized for shifting its fleet toward electric vehicles to reduce CO₂ emissions.
Gunnison Country Food Pantry — for installing a solar PV system using recycled panels and investing savings back into food programs.
Revvity Inc. — for eliminating dry ice and insulated packaging in one of its shipping streams.
DIRT Coffee Bar — for creating inclusive employment practices, electrifying heating/cooling, and reimagining their grounds with water- and sensory-friendly landscaping.
You can read more about all the winners and the full award announcement in the official CGBN / CDPHE press release HERE. CDPHE
Thank you to every team member who contributed to this project! We’re honored to stand among such innovative companies in Colorado and excited to continue pushing toward a more sustainable future.
Interested in CGBN certification? We’re happy to share our experience, reach out! Together, we're building a more sustainable future—one certification, one partnership, and one innovative solution at a time.