How Food Rescue in South Africa Fights Climate Change
Earth Day is more than a moment, it’s a movement.
This year, we’re showing how food rescue is one of the most effective, untapped solutions to tackle both hunger and climate change.
Food Waste in South Africa
South Africa wastes an estimated 10 million tonnes of food each year. This is food that could feed millions of people facing daily hunger. But the damage doesn’t stop at empty stomachs. The environmental toll is just as severe.
When food ends up in landfills, it decomposes and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. If food waste were a country, it would rank as the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, behind China and the United States.
We’re committed to intercepting this food before it becomes waste. We work across the country to rescue nutritious surplus food and redistribute it to vetted community organisations. In doing so, we address both the humanitarian crisis of hunger and the ecological crisis of climate change.
The Climate Benefits of Food Rescue
Food rescue is not just a social intervention, it’s a climate solution.
Every tonne of food we rescue helps prevent methane emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills. But the benefits don’t end there.
By redistributing food that has already been grown, processed, packaged, and transported, we also reduce the need for new production, cutting down on water usage, fuel consumption, electricity demand, as well as labour and packaging waste
In 2022 alone, food waste in South Africa contributed to over 400 million metric tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions. Our food rescue operations directly reduce this burden. This creates climate wins with every delivery.
Earth Day in Action: Cooking With Rescued Food
To bring this year’s Earth Day theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” to life, we hosted a nationwide activation with our long-time partner Norton Rose Fulbright.
In Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban, corporate teams joined forces with local community organisations to cook meals using only rescued surplus food, preparing hundreds of dignified meals that nourished bodies and demonstrated the power of collaborative change.
This wasn’t just symbolic. It was a hands-on commitment to reducing food waste and promoting sustainability at scale.
Why Food Rescue Matters Now More Than Ever
We’re operating within a broken food system.
On one side, millions go hungry. On the other, surplus food is wasted at every stage of the supply chain on farms, in warehouses, at retail, and in homes.
We believe that ending hunger and fighting climate change are not separate missions. They are deeply interconnected. Our approach is both simple and systemic:
- Rescue food before it becomes waste
- Redirect food to where it’s needed most
- Rebuild the system to prioritise equity, sustainability, and resilience
This model is not theoretical—it’s working. And it’s scalable.
When We Rescue Food, We Restore More Than Just Meals
We restore hope. We restore dignity. And we restore balance to a planet in crisis.
This Earth Day, let’s remember that every action matters. Our power lies in what we choose to do with what we have.
Together, we can build a food future that leaves no one—and no food—behind.