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Creating a world without food waste

Last updated: Feb 8, 2021

Summary

In the food industry there are a myriad of reasons quality surplus food might not make it to its destination: new marketing, cancelled orders, incorrect or damaged packaging, to name a few. This food is perfectly suitable for human consumption, but with no simple solution it would likely go to animal feed or lower down the waste hierarchy to composting or landfill. Enter Yüme Food: a business that has saved over 2 million kilograms of food from going to waste to date.

Problem

Every day 561 semi-trailers of food produced in Australia in the commercial sector goes to waste.

Solution

Yüme Food’s vision is a world without food waste. Yüme exists to reduce waste by making use of quality surplus food. Every time a transaction happens on its online marketplace, quality food is being salvaged and used for its intended purpose: human consumption. Yüme is an online marketplace that connects businesses that have quality surplus food with those who can purchase this food.

Via the Yüme marketplace, suppliers can connect with each other and products are priced at least 20 per cent below wholesale price so it’s a win-win for business and the environment; suppliers are getting a new revenue stream and buyers are reducing costs

Outcome

To date, Yüme has saved over two million kgs of food going to waste through purchases on the platform and has donated over 20,000 kilograms of food to food rescue organisations. During COVID-19, Yüme has provided additional benefits as these organisations were able to spend grant money on the Yüme Platform, essentially getting more bang for their buck and, in turn, being able to feed more people in need. The additional benefit has been that food that has been stranded due to disrupted supply chains has also been able to find a home.