Flavorite have donated over 65 thousand kilos of produce, including tomatoes, capsicums, cucumber and eggplant to Foodbank, and 31 thousand kilos to SecondBite. Managing Director Mike Nichol says it is a win-win for the company as reducing food waste is a key strategic priority for the business, while giving to those who need it in the community.
“Flavorite are fully committed to reducing food loss at all stages of production to contribute to a more sustainable future," he said. "We have made every effort to reduce our fresh produce waste across all avenues and will continue to reduce it, be it at point of harvest, packaging and distribution or through shelf-life optimisation.”
Mr Nicol says food waste is a growing concern across the fresh produce industry, with almost half of all fruit and vegetables produced globally discarded. In Australia, the problem of food waste is no different, with food waste estimated to cost the economy $20billion annually, according to various government and environmental organisations.
"Contributing to the problem of fresh produce waste across Australia, is the consumers’ visual expectations for fruit and vegetables," Mr Nicol said. "A whopping 20-40 percent of produce is rejected before it reaches the store. This is due to the produce not meeting the aesthetic standards of the retailers and consumers, but this produce is perfectly fit for consumption."
He added, food insecurity across the continent is on the rise. According to Foodbank’s annual hunger report, 15 per cent of the Australian population have experienced uncertainty around where their next meal is coming from in the past 12 months, and two in five of these households are families with dependent children.
“Organisations like Foodbank and SecondBite hero the concept of re-purposing food for consumption, that would have otherwise been deemed waste," Mr Nicol said. "We are thrilled to work alongside them and to support the great work that they do in helping the community whilst simultaneously tackling food wastage. Fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of nutrients and are important for a balanced diet, but unfortunately some of the perfectly edible produce, looks imperfect. We are working closely with Foodbank and SecondBite to donate all food that is fit for consumption, but does not meet the physical standards of the retailers."
For more information:Mike Nichol
Flavorite Tomatoes
Phone: +61 3 8372 5610
mike.nichol@flavorite.com.au
www.flavoritetomatoes.com.au