The City of Casey, through its Circular Economy Living Lab Grant, has awarded funding to food sustainability start-up Forkful which will enable it to launch its food waste platform in the area.
Based in Melbourne, Forkful works directly with hospitality businesses including cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and food retailers, and its platform allows these establishments to offer surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and be sold to local consumers at a discounted rate. The platform is set to launch in Casey in February 2023.
Studies indicate that 7.6 million tonnes of food going to waste in Australia each year, while over two million Australian households have suffered from food insecurity. Given the rising cost of living impacting consumers and business owners alike, Forkful looks to provide a win-win solution for them, and for the environment, through its innovative platform.
“As the largest and fastest growing municipality in Melbourne, we’re thrilled to be launching in the City of Casey in 2023,” Forkful founder Natalie Sarau said. “We’re in the process of connecting with local businesses to get them on board with our mission to divert delicious surplus food from landfill and into the mouths of hungry local consumers. This grant and subsequent launch is an exciting step towards our goal of rolling out to Greater Melbourne within the next 12 months.
“Times are tough right now, so if we can get extra dollars in the pockets of business owners, save food from landfill, and help consumers get cheaper meals, then it’s a win for all involved,” Sarau added.
Forkful was initially launched in Darebein in early 2022 and has already seen the immediate positive impact of the platform.
“Our trial run earlier this year was an incredible learning curve for us,” Sarau said. “We were able to see that the demand was there and it gave us an invaluable opportunity to further streamline and simplify the process for consumers and business owners. Interestingly, 75 poer cent of purchases were made by people that hadn’t been to the venue they purchased from before, so we know that this is a really exciting opportunity to connect local businesses with new consumers in their area.
“We know staff shortages have only amplified the lack of time hospitality businesses have, so Forkful provides them with a quick and easy solution to increase their revenue and reduce their waste, and as a positive by-product, create a more circular and sustainable business model,” Sarau added.
Ahead of its 2023 launch, Forkful is looking to connect with hospitality businesses interested in reducing food waste while increasing sales.
“Everyone has a part to play in creating a more circular economy and lessening our impact on the environment,” Sarau averred. “We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Forkful and we’re looking forward to connecting with hospitality venues and business owners across Australia to further our reach and increase our impact in the months to come.”
