Leading food rescue charity, OzHarvest, is ramping up efforts to combat food insecurity caused by rising living costs this Winter. In partnership with BioPak, an eco-conscious packaging company, OzHarvest is planning to distribute thousands of meals to those most vulnerable.
This will be done through its free supermarket, the OzHarvest Market, which operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays each week. This initiative not only diverts quality surplus food from landfill but also, importantly, helps Australians facing food scarcity.
Rescued produce, pantry staples, and meals cooked on-site are some of the items provided. These meals are packed in certified compostable containers supplied by BioPak. This collaboration makes sure that while addressing food insecurity, environmental impacts are minimised.
Nearly 80 per cent of the charities supported in South Australia are experiencing an increased demand for food. OzHarvest Adelaide City Manager, Damian Scanlon shared, “We are already feeding 600 people at our market each week, and expect this number to increase over the cooler months.
“Times are incredibly tough and we are continuing to hear from our charity partners that people are desperate, with so many new faces needing help for the first time in their lives. We are working hard to cater to the demand and are grateful to work with our longstanding partner, BioPak, to help us package and serve free nourishing meals to people in Adelaide who need it most.”
BioPak CEO, Gary Smith also shared, “Food relief services are essential lifelines for many people and we are proud to work with OzHarvest,” said Smith.
“We are here to help OzHarvest deliver nourishing meals to people in need and are working closely with the chefs and the wider Cooking for a Cause team to ensure our certified compostable packaging is the most effective and durable product available for these cooked dishes.”
Reducing food waste is also a major focal point of The Market, especially considering food waste costs the Australian economy $36.6 billion annually. The Market collaborates with leading local composting service, Jeffries, to compost any unused food and packaging, thereby turning potential waste into nutrient-rich soil.
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