ASEAN start-ups are tackling food waste
Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) reported that in 2017, over 809,800 tons of food was thrown out. Meanwhile, Malaysia generates 38,000 tons of waste per day, of which 3,000 tons are edible and could have fed at least two million people. Based on a 2017 Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report, ‘Fixing Food’, Indonesia is the world’s second-largest food waster, throwing out 300 kilograms (kg) of food per person each year. Massive amounts of food waste end up in landfills to be incinerated or left to decompose, producing methane which is 21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide (CO2).
Tech start-ups and social enterprises are also looking for innovative ways to reduce and prevent food waste across Southeast Asia. They are addressing food loss issues along the supply chain from farms to the table. Following the donation initiative, Garda Pangan, an Indonesia-based start-up, saves food from the hospitality industry and distributes it to the poor or farms to be processed into compost. Another start-up raising awareness about food wastage is Grub Cycle. The Malaysia-based company developed digital platforms to help supermarkets, farms and restaurants reduce waste. Through their app, Grub Bites, consumers can purchase surplus food from restaurants and cafes at bargain prices. The start-up’s platforms include Grub Groceries (selling close to expiry products), Grub Mobile (collecting produce and redistributing them to low-income communities) and Grub Homemade (increasing produce lifetime). The start-up has since saved 7,000 kg of food. Good For food is a Singaporean start-up that tracks food waste via a ‘smart bin’ called Insight, to empower kitchens to reduce waste and better manage their food inventory. Insight uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology and big data to analyse the types and quantities of food being disposed. In Singapore, UglyFood is disrupting the supply chain to reduce food wastage by building awareness that misshapen food tastes just as good as perfect-looking food and is just as nutritious.
