Las Vegas Buffet Decline Forces Pig Farm to Source Different Food Scraps

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:52:48 GMT

The famous buffet lines of the Las Vegas Strip aren’t the only things that changed after 2020. For Las Vegas Livestock , the pandemic forced a total reinvention of how they feed 5,000 head of hogs — a move that ultimately led to a major increase in their processing capacity.

MGM recently announced that its buffet at the Grand Hotel is set to close permanently on May 31. This follows a trend of major resorts replacing traditional buffets with food halls and specialty restaurants.

Historically, Las Vegas Livestock relied on the massive volume of food waste generated by casino buffets. Now the operation is shifting its focus toward grocery stores and warehouses, reports Fox 5 Las Vegas .

The transition required a technological overhaul. Sourcing from grocery stores meant dealing with a higher volume of inorganic materials and packaging.

An Innovative Shift
To handle the shift, Las Vegas Livestock upgraded its equipment to mechanically process items like ketchup packets and hot sauce containers that were previously sorted by hand. This automation has made a big impact.

Pre-pandemic, the farm processed 30 tons of waste per day. Today, that number has surged to 55 tons.

Las Vegas Livestock holds a food scrap processing license that allows them to feed food scraps containing meat to pigs. Under the supervision of the Nevada Department of Agriculture, all food scraps are cleaned and pasteurized to ensure safety for the pigs and consumers.

Sister company Combs Brothers LLC is responsible for sourcing and recovering the food scraps. They build customized programs to maximize trash diversion and profits for Las Vegas resorts.

According to the Las Vegas Livestock website, this family farm has been raising pigs for generations with a mission to be humane and sustainable.

“The LVL team provides excellent care to the animals, and the barns have been designed to keep the animals quality of life in mind,” the website says. “Sustainability is always a priority of the farm. The family has close ties to the desert and understand the importance in conserving resources as well as keeping food out of the landfill.”

Food Waste

Las Vegas Buffet Decline Forces Pig Farm to Source Different Food Scraps