New app used to rescue leftover food

Leftover food at Greenmeadows Café in Stoke is now going on the food rescue app ‘Foodprint’ at discounted prices to reduce food waste and benefit the community.

The app has been launched in the Nelson Tasman region as part of its expansion around the country and about 20 local eateries have already partnered with it to sell surplus food that would otherwise be wasted.

Customers ‘rescue’ food by purchasing it within the app at discounted prices and collect it from the eatery, with the goal of reducing food waste and its associated emissions when it ends up in landfill.

Greenmeadows Café owner Lynley Gilchrist says she has already had a good response from customers who want to champion the cause to help the environment and also those wanting to save money due to the cost of living.

She says the launch of the app in the region is timely, given the rising cost of living.

Many of those using the app are young families, which is partly because they are app savvy and early adopters, but also financing larger mortgages. Some of the food is destined for customers’ freezers and she says a lot of it is for lunches to reduce costs.

Though the café does not have a lot of waste at the end of the day, Lynley says it is good to find a home for any that is leftover such as fresh baking that cannot be sold the next day, as well as some of the cabinet food.

“I just see it as a community effort – the community working together. It’s food that is local and it saves people buying something else. It stops cost leakage for everyone.

“Plus, it’s a way of giving back to our regulars and they get the benefit rather than throwing it in the bin.”

Each day, the café lists leftover food on the app with its discounted prices which is usually at least 50 per cent off its usual price.

“The aim of the game is less waste.”

Finding a home for food that would otherwise end up as waste is also helping to reduce carbon emissions and Lynley says the app shows her how much is being saved. On one day, if 8kg of food waste is saved, that reduces carbon emissions by 22kg.

The app makers say cafes, restaurants and supermarkets waste almost 50,000 tonnes of food each year and more than half of that is still edible.

When it ends up in the landfill, it emits the greenhouse gas methane, making it a huge contributor to climate crisis.