Photo: Supplied/ Foodprint
A phone app that connects customers with surplus food from eateries is expanding in the South Island.
Foodprint was launched in 2019 and now jhas 350 eateries across the country on the mobile app, where people can buy food that would otherwise go to waste.
Founder and director Michal Garvey said Foodprint offered cafes, restaurants and other hospitality businesses a platform to sell surplus and imperfect food at a discount to help prevent it from being wasted.
"Everything is discounted from at least 30 percent off its original price, so you get to purchase food and feel really good about preventing food waste and supporting local businesses at the same time."
Garvey started the mobile app after realising hospitality and food retailers were often left out of traditional food rescue services.
Data shows almost 50,000 tonnes of food is wasted by the hospitality and retail sectors each year in New Zealand, more than half of which is still edible.
Research by the University of Otago and Love Food Hate Waste found over 60 percent of the food that is wasted from most hospitality businesses is actually still edible.
"That's food that's been prepared and has usually been in a cabinet and hasn't been sold so has unfortunately ended up in the bin - that is the sort of food that Foodprint is really looking at, edible food there is absolutely nothing wrong with, just no-one purchased it today."
Garvey said the feedback from eateries who used the app was that it helped to both reduce food waste and retain monetary value on items that were otherwise discarded.
This was particularly important as the hospitality industry faced challenges with Covid-19 and inflationary pressure.
Foodprint was awarded a $10,000 waste minimisation grant by the Nelson City Council to launch in the region. It will go live on March 21.
About 20 eateries have already signed up across Nelson and Tasman.