Small Business Check-In: OzHarvest

Social enterprise OzHarvest has teamed up with Surry Hills café Gratia to run a no-food-waste popup.

Food rescue business OzHarvest has recently joined forces with a coffee shop in Surry Hills to encourage customers to be ‘waste conscious’.

The menu includes ingredients donated by Brasserie Bread and Black Star Pastry that would otherwise be dumped.

According to the Federal Government, more than five million tonnes of usable food ends up in landfill each year, costing the Australian economy more than $20 billion annually.

OzHarvest's executive chef Travis Harvey says the popup aims to make customers think differently about food waste.

"Lot's of chefs are doing things where they are showing how much they respect where food comes from, and we're just a part of that movement."

The pop up is based in profit-for-purpose coffee shop café Gratia on Bourke Street.

The café provides work and training for refugees and donates 100% of their takings to a range of non-for-profits.

Small Business Secrets first met with OzHarvest founder Ronni Khan in 2016.

Ronni explained to Small Business Secrets that the social enterprise's success has taken strong business skills.

"These days, a charity isn't just about having a good heart, it's about efficiency, economics, delivery, impact”.

“There's no doubt the more business skills you have, the more effective and efficient your charity is going to be.

“I think one of the differentiators for OzHarvest is that when we started 12 years ago, I ran it like a business from day one."

Ronni Khan started the food rescue business in 2004 and was later named Australia's Local Hero, in the 2010 Australian of the year awards.

For ways to reduce food waste check out the OzHarvest site ozharvest.org/fightfoodwaste.