Ugly but tasty

Overview

Overview

The need: It is estimated that 1.8 million tonnes of food is wasted each year in Hungary [1]. Furthermore, despite the increased desire for healthy food, estimates of food waste occurring at pre-consumption stages remain high [2].

The solution: Through REFRESH two projects were developed to 1) sell “Imperfect” fruit and vegetables through retail channels, and 2) redistribute surplus fruit and vegetables through donations from wholesalers to food banks.

The benefit: The projects resulted in a reduction in food waste and increased the amount of food waste being diverted from less preferable waste management options to redistribution; providing highly nutritional food for people with low incomes.