Maeko makes food waste a resource

Chee: Food waste is not just a cost to manage, but a resource that can be recovered and repurposed.

EVERY year, about a billion tonnes of food waste is generated globally.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Food Waste Index Report 2024, total food waste produced in 2022 was equivalent to one-fifth of all food available to consumers, amounting to 132kg per capita.

Moreover, food loss and waste is estimated to cost the global economy more than US$940bil per year.

Chelsea Chee, co-founder of food waste composting solutions company Maeko, believes that a fundamental mindset change is needed to combat this mounting problem – one that treats food waste as more than simply a disposal issue.

“Food waste is not just a cost to manage, but a resource that can be recovered and repurposed,” she tells StarBiz 7.

Chee and her co-founder Mae Ooi, started Maeko in 2011 to address the rapidly increasing challenge of food waste in Malaysia and across the region.

“When we started, most food waste was sent directly to landfills, contributing to methane emissions, rising waste management costs and long-term environmental harm,” Chee says.

Locally, existing solutions outside of landfills or incineration are often slow, labour-intensive, and required large amounts of space, making them unsuitable for dense urban environments.

“What was missing in the market was a practical, decentralised, on-site solution capable of managing food waste efficiently at its source,” she says.

Combining Chee’s engineering expertise with Ooi’s specialisation in biogenetics and environmental systems, the business focuses on developing technology to quickly convert food waste into compost safely and on-site.

Composting is a biodegradation method in which organic matter like food scraps and leaves are broken down into nutrient-rich soil.

Conventional types of composting often rely on passive decomposition, which often takes weeks or months to complete.

In contrast, Maeko’s compost equipment utilises mechanical engineering with optimised biological activity to accelerate natural decomposition, composting food waste within 18 to 24 hours while minimising odours, pests and pathogens.

To do this, its machines actively regulate mixing, airflow, heat, and moisture in a sealed processing chamber, which increases surface contact between waste and the microorganisms that decompose it.

“The entire process is automated, enclosed, and energy-efficient, making it well-suited for on-site use in commercial eateries, canteens, factories, hospitality settings and institutions, where space, hygiene and operational reliability are essential,” Chee says.

Originally, Maeko’s composters were designed to serve the business-to-business (B2B) segment, but the company eventually expanded its range to smaller, portable composting units for homes and small enterprises.

“We initially focused on B2B because that is where the largest volumes of food waste are generated and where immediate environmental impact could be achieved.

“But as food waste and sustainability became a household conversation, we saw the need to empower individuals and communities as well,” she explained.

The founders reveal that 10 years of research and development went into creating Maeko’s compost machines.

This was due to the complexity of the technology required for a fast and robust composting system, as well as the need to factor in region-specific climate conditions and food waste types.

In response to expectations in the market, the business also began offering integrated carbon tracking and monitoring systems which can record food waste input, processing performance, and estimated carbon avoidance.

“This evolution allows us to support clients’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting requirements and prepare for future carbon credit and environmental data-driven frameworks,” Chee says.

Today, the company’s customers span industries that include hotels, restaurants, universities, property development, cruise lines and factories.

The hospitality sector has been particularly receptive to Maeko’s solutions, which serve to reduce waste management costs and pest control costs, while also strengthening green branding for environmentally conscious guests.

Meanwhile, the compost solutions have also proven effective for meeting “zero food waste to landfill” goals among manufacturing companies that export internationally or operate within carbon-sensitive supply chains.

“Through our platform, customers gain verified data that gives them confidence and assurance during audits and third-party verifications,” Chee adds.

Currently, the company runs a flexible, multi-stream business model, offering outright purchase, lease-to-own, and monthly rental subscription options for customers.

Besides this, recurring revenue is generated through annual maintenance service packages and data tracking subscriptions.

Looking ahead, Maeko’s expansion ambitions revolve around building scale, impact and ecosystem.

“We plan to expand our regional and international footprint, particularly across Asia and the Middle East, where urban food waste challenges are growing rapidly,” she adds.

The team is also working with relevant authorities to bring its solutions to community-level contexts such as food courts, wet markets, and areas under the People’s Housing Programme.

Additionally, another key priority for the business is to develop larger, decentralised organic waste hubs to handle higher waste volumes and deliver greater environmental impact.

At the same time, the founders recognise that achieving growth in this space comes with a range of difficulties.

Building reliable, high-performance hardware technology is capital-intensive, and requires long-term investment before meaningful returns will be realised.

Furthermore, maintaining manufacturing quality while keeping up with changing market needs is a constant challenge.

Nevertheless, Chee says these hurdles ultimately serve to sharpen the company’s technical capabilities, resilience, and strategic clarity as it advances its goals.

“Underpinning all of our plans is our ambition to position Maeko as a key enabler of the digital circular economy, by combining hardware, data, and carbon tracking to make sustainable waste management measurable, verifiable and scalable,” she says.