AN Australian initiative that seeks to combat food wastage and feed those in need has opened its doors in Sydney.
OzHarvest has opened Australia's first ever rescued food supermarket in Sydney's suburb of Kensington.
"It's simple; our purpose is to nourish our country in a sustainable way and raise awareness of food waste," founder and chief executive Ronni Kahn said. "If we can help the vulnerable with dignity then it's a win-win."
Roughly one third of food around the world is lost or wasted, or an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes, according to the United Nations.
Ms Kahn said the OzHarvest supermarket stocks only "surplus" food that would otherwise be thrown out by supermarket chains, cafes, restaurants and airlines. The store is manned by volunteers and works on a "take what you need, give if you can" basis where customers can freely take food and donate towards the project if they want to.
OzHarvest is using the Kensington location as a testing ground for future projects. The land has been made available by TOGA Hospitality, a developer, while it awaits council approval on proposed developments on the site.
"It's fantastic to see a developer looking at what would be vacant land and seeing an opportunity to work with our foundation to help make a positive difference," Ms Kahn said.
"Now we're looking at having many more stores like this."
For Sylvia the OzHarvest store means she can feed her children tonight. As a sole full-time carer for two seriously sick adult children, Sylvia struggles to scrape together the money to put food on the table.
"It's hard when you need to be there for someone who needs you, but what else should you do?" Sylvia told Fairfax Media.
Going to OzHarvest means Sylvia can feed her family instead of having to worry about where to find the money to fix a broken stove in her small rental in Sydney.
"The beauty of this place is it gives you dignity and the people aren't judgmental," she said. "It's just like going to the shops but the staff are so supportive. It's the best thing about the Australian spirit."
Helga, a volunteer at OzHarvest, said working at the supermarket was "incredibly rewarding".
"It's wonderful to welcome people through that door," she said.
The OzHarvest supermarket is open weekdays from 10am to 2pm and can be found at 147 Anzac Parade in Kensington.
