Food Waste vs Hunger

68 million tonnes of food wasted annually in India

According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), India is one of the highest contributors to food waste globally. Around 40% of food produced in India is wasted annually due to issues like inefficiency in supply chains, improper storage, and lack of proper infrastructure.

Source:FAO, UN Environment Programme

197 million people go unfed in India

A report from the Global Hunger Index (GHI) states that India ranks among the countries with high hunger levels, with 197 million people suffering from undernourishment (almost 15% of the population).

Source:Global Hunger Index, 2023

Closing the Gap

A major focus of Pick’n’Treat is reducing food waste while feeding the undernourished. By redistributing surplus food, platforms like Pick’n’Treat can help tackle both hunger and food waste. For example, surplus food from businesses could feed millions, reducing the food insecurity levels while addressing environmental impacts.

Source: FAO, UN Environment Programme

The Win-Win Situation

Vendors

Source:
Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.

Vendors

Source:
National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI)

Consumers

Source:
National Statistical Office of India, Household Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Consumers

Source: National Family Health Survey, India 2019-20.

Environment

Source:
FAO, UN Environment Programme, India Climate Impact Report.

Environment

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

How Pick’n’Treat Works

A simple 3-step infographic could look like this:

Step 1: Vendors list surplus food

Vendors can upload details of their surplus food (meals, groceries, etc.) to the platform. According to research, the average food waste in the restaurant sector in India is around 25%, offering plenty of opportunity to redistribute surplus food.

Source: FAO, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI)

Step 2: Vendors list surplus food

Source: FAO, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI)

Step 3: Vendors list surplus food

Source: FAO, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI)

Impact Goals

Here are some projected impact goals based on assumptions and common sustainability benchmarks:

Pick’n’Treat

could aim to save around 500,000 tons of food in its first year, considering the large scale of food waste in urban areas like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. This estimate is based on 10% of food waste being redirected to consumers.

Source: FAO, Indian Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Number of vendors participating

In the first year, Pick’n’Treat could onboard 5,000 food vendors across major cities, with a 10% growth rate each year, based on current market interest in sustainability and food waste management.

Source: Industry reports on food service businesses in India

Meals provided to communities

If Pick’n’Treat helps save 500,000 tons of food, that could provide over 500 million meals to hungry populations in India (assuming 1 meal is made from ~1 kg of food).

Source: FAO, Hunger Relief Organizations in India