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Jesse Williams, Michael Robinson and Daniel Brown of Rust Belt Riders. The composting initiative is in the running for a $50,000 food innovation award.

(Alison Tanker)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -

Local food innovators

have been named one of 18 finalists in the international Food+City Challenge Prize People's Choice Award, which encourages ingenuity in the urban food system. The competition puts them in the running to win $50,000. Winners are chosen by fan votes,

Founded by Daniel Brennan Brown and Michael Robinson in 2013, Riders currently composts more than 520,000 pounds of waste a year and projects to do more than 1.5 million pounds in 2017. It services many of Cleveland's best-known restaurants and cafes, such as Spice Kitchen and Phoenix Coffee, and extends to establishments like City Club of Cleveland, University Hospitals and Zagara's. With booming demand for composting services, Riders was able to add a third employee, Jesse Williams, in 2015.

"More and more, the impact of food waste and composting is becoming part of our regular conversation," says Brown. "It seems every day Cleveland is being recognized for its food scene. This award would give us the opportunity to push our services forward and become an integral solution to food waste in the region."

Brown sees Riders as a chance to make a big picture impact on the way we look at waste.

"We like to think our service is impacting waste management as a whole, and food waste makes up a huge portion of all solid waste" says Brown. "So if we can keep food waste out that is boon for everyone; the city, the public and reducing the need for landfills. Not to mention all the compost being created to advance local food systems. It's not just mitigating bad stuff, it's creating good stuff!"