Divert NS Awards Friendlier $150,000 to Scale Reusable Packaging Across Nova Scotia

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Funding Recipients

As students across Nova Scotia prepare to return to school, reusable packaging will be returning too. Friendlier, a company specializing in reusable packaging, announced today that it was awarded $150,000 in funding from Divert NS. The funding supports the expansion of the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program in the 2026-27 school year and the development of infrastructure to collect, wash, sanitize, and recirculate reusable food packaging in Nova Scotia.

“Reusable packaging is a practical example of the circular economy in action,” says Divert NS CEO, Stacy Breau. “By supporting Friendlier’s expansion into Nova Scotia’s School Lunch Program, we are reducing waste, helping students build lifelong environmental habits, and strengthening the local infrastructure needed to make reuse a long-term solution in our province.”

The program is delivered in partnership with Chartwells, a division of Compass Group Canada, which provides meal service at participating schools through the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program. The collaboration integrates reusable packaging into existing school food service operations while giving students a simple way to participate by returning their containers after meals. The program will expand to 26 schools in the 2026-27 school year, reducing reliance on single-use plastics and supporting the growth of Nova Scotia's circular economy.

Last year, Friendlier introduced reusable containers at 22 schools participating in the Nova Scotia School Lunch Program. During its first year, Friendlier estimates that the program:

  • Avoided the use of over 181,450 single-use containers 
  • Diverted 10,525 kg of plastic waste
  • Reduced 25,406 kg of greenhouse gas emissions 
  • Saved 1.45 million litres of water 

Beyond the containers themselves, the project supported Friendlier in establishing local washing and logistics infrastructure in Bedford, Nova Scotia, allowing containers to be collected, professionally washed and sanitized, and quickly returned to circulation.

“At Friendlier, we set out on a mission to simplify the transition from single-use to reusable packaging, and Nova Scotia's school lunch program is exactly the kind of partner we built our company for,” says Kayli Smith, CEO of Friendlier. “They've already shown leadership in how they feed students. Now, with Friendlier, they're showing that same leadership by doing it waste free, making reuse a simple, educational experience that sets the foundations for sustainable habits from a young age.” This school year, Friendlier and Chartwells expect to build on the program’s first-year momentum, with more than 400,000 container reuses anticipated across all 26 participating schools.

The results and learnings from the program, including demonstrated cost savings and operational ease, will be shared with the province to help inform opportunities for broader adoption across Nova Scotia.