About Torus

Our Vision

Our mission at Torus is to make composting accessible, convenient, and easy for all in New Jersey. By scaling our operations and expanding our reach, we aim to take strides towards eliminating food waste through a sustainable, environmentally friendly solution that empowers individuals and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and build a cleaner future— together. Eventually, we imagine a future where composting is the norm: a daily, recurring habit.

Who We Are

Collect. Compost. Connect.

Torus is dedicated to reducing food waste and promoting sustainability through accessible composting services. Founded in late 2023 by Lawrenceville students Zikang, Anthony, Matthew, and David, our organization aims to revolutionize waste management in New Jersey.

Our Journey So Far

From a student idea
to a statewide model.

  1. Late 2023

    Torus is Founded

    Torus was founded in West Windsor, NJ by Lawrenceville students Zikang, Anthony, Matthew, and David, driven by a shared passion for reducing food waste and promoting sustainability in New Jersey.

  2. March 2024

    Scaling Local Impact

    Torus expands to 100+ houses across Central New Jersey, recruiting a team of 10+ active members.

  3. November 2024

    Reaching More Houses and Businesses

    Torus publishes research on the fundamental causes of food waste, better optimizing our program to service 250+ houses in the region.

  4. May 2025

    Legislative Advocacy

    Torus begins taking action in legislation, working together with Share My Meals and the NJ League of Conservation Voters to pass House Bill A4118 and Senate Bill S203 in collaboration with members of the West Windsor Township Council.

  5. June 2025

    Financial Stability

    Torus secures new avenues of revenue, earning many grants and awards supported by Cocovibe, The Lawrenceville School, and more. Begins looking towards future expansion plans.

  6. July 2026

    Larger Institutional Backing

    Torus secures larger institutional backing, driven by the Clif Family Foundation alongside partners like Google, Walmart, and PSE&G. This support strengthens our foundation and accelerates plans to bring free composting to more communities across New Jersey.

  7. Current

    Building a Statewide Movement

    Torus continues to expand across the state, actively recruiting volunteers and leading sales teams to increase presence and awareness.

Our Impact

Building a statewide model for free composting.

0+households and local organizations served
0+pounds of food waste collected
0+pounds of CO₂e emissions prevented
0+cities served across New Jersey

Starting in Central New Jersey, Torus is building a statewide model for free, convenient composting that keeps food waste out of landfills and turns scraps into a resource. Since launching in late 2023, we have served 1,000+ households and local organizations and collected more than 250,000 pounds of food waste through simple bucket-based participation. That diversion has already prevented over 950,000 pounds of CO₂-equivalent emissions, reducing methane-generating landfill disposal and shrinking the carbon footprint of everyday meals. We track what we collect, share clear guidance on what is accepted, and focus on consistent, repeatable service that families can maintain week after week.

Our Advocacy

Pushing for change, starting at home.

Advocacy is a core part of what we do at Torus. We’re working to make composting more accessible across New Jersey, starting in our own town. Right now, we’re collaborating with West Windsor Township officials to create the town’s first public compost drop-off site.

We also focus on statewide change. We support bills like A4118 and S203, which set targets for reducing organic waste in landfills and would expand composting infrastructure. Our team meets with municipal leaders, testifies at public meetings, and works with partners like Share My Meals and the NJ League of Conservation Voters to push these efforts forward.

And we want other young people to get involved too. We created a short film about students driving civic change, made possible by a Hutchins Student Civic Media Grant from the Hutchins Center for Civics at The Lawrenceville School.

Read our full proposal

Our Research

Studying the roots of food waste.

Exploring Fundamental Causes of Food Waste and Direct Donations through Analyzing Existing Solutions and Discrete Event Simulations

Zikang Jiang, Anthony Woo, David Chen, Matthew Gao

This paper investigates the persistent issue of Food Loss and Waste (FLW) in the U.S., where 78 million tons of food waste contribute to 5.2% of greenhouse gas emissions and cost 1.8% of GDP annually. Analyzing the Food Supply Chain (FSC), it identifies causes of waste at production, handling, distribution, and consumption stages. The study highlights successful solutions like IFCO’s Reusable Packaging Containers and Apeel’s edible coatings, emphasizing the need for cost-efficient, scalable innovations. Using Discrete Event Simulation, the paper explores Direct Donations—connecting edible surplus directly to those in need—as a complement to food bank donations. Despite higher waste rates (37.8% vs. 6.1% for food banks), Direct Donations could reduce landfill use by processing household surplus that food banks often reject. The research suggests pilot programs in high-density cities, particularly in developing countries, and proposes a nonprofit platform to address legal and logistical barriers, optimizing information and resource flow to enhance adoption.

Read the full paper

Meet Our Team

The people behind Torus.

Matthew Gao, Co-founder and CEO of Torus

Matthew Gao

Co-founder and CEO

Anthony Woo, Co-founder and CFO of Torus

Anthony Woo

Co-founder and CFO

David Chen, Co-founder and CMO of Torus

David Chen

Co-founder and CMO

Zikang Jiang, Director of Torus

Zikang Jiang

Director