The delicious way Woolworths is reducing waste and feeding the hungry
A new product on Woolworths’ shelves is reducing food wastage and providing much needed funds for Australians struggling to put food on their table.
The supermarket giant has begun baking banana bread in store using overripe and excess bananas that would otherwise go into a landfill and donating part of the proceeds to OzHarvest.
Two varieties of bread - traditional banana bread and chocolate chip made with Cadbury chocolate - are now available for $4 at all Woolworths locations.
Woolworths’ Head of Bakery Andy Thomas said reducing food wastage is a top priority for the supermarket chain.
“We looked at how we could do our part in the bakery department and with the overripe bananas that are unable to be sold,” he said.
“With the launch of this banana bread, we’re not only diverting bananas from heading to landfill but also supporting Australians in need with 50c from every sale going to our food rescue charity partner, OzHarvest,” Mr Thomas said.
OzHarvest operates around Australia, collecting roughly 180 tonnes of quality food each week from more than 3,500 food donors, including supermarkets, hotels, wholesalers, farmers, corporate events, catering companies and restaurants.
The food is then delivered directly to 1300 charities around the country, helping the more than four million Australians who suffer from food insecurity.
OzHarvest said 50 cents will be able to provide one meal to an Australian in need.
“It’s so encouraging to be able to work with Woolworths to create an innovative solution to combat food waste,” OzHarvest CEO and Founder, Ronni Kahn AO said.
“A huge volume of food goes to waste unnecessarily every year and finding ways to re-use or redistribute this surplus food underpins everything we do.”
It’s not the first time Woolies has gotten creative in an effort to reduce food waste.
Last year, the supermarket launched a limited-edition pale ale beer, ‘Loafer’, using surplus bread.
The chain is hoping the banana bread will fly off the shelves faster than they can bake it.
“We think this launch is the best thing since sliced bread,” Mr Thomas said.
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