Melbourne start-up tackles food waste with expansion into non-perishable groceries with the launch of The Farmers Pick Pantry.
Australian sustainable grocery subscription service, Farmers Pick has announced its expansion, launching a series of pantry essentials – partnering with like-minded businesses to make sustainable choices affordable.
The announcement comes at a time when Australians are looking to make more local and sustainable purchase decisions. Now, Australians will have the luxury of accessing affordable alternatives alongside the online subscription service, with Farmers Pick committed to its goal of reducing grocery prices by up to 30%.
The Pantry features coffee, preserves, alternative milks, and eggs, each handpicked to align with Farmers Pick’s mission: to reduce food waste and build a sustainable food system for all.
Farmer’s Pick co-founder Josh Ball says that the start-up’s expansion represents a significant stride towards enhancing the business’ commitment to providing a sustainable shopping experience.
“We are thrilled to introduce the launch of The Farmers Pick Pantry, helping our customers reduce trips to the supermarket, and save some cash along the way,” Mr Ball said.
“Further to the food waste issue here in Australia, we see another challenge in the supply chain. Products with six months of shelf life under their belt are often knocked back from supermarkets if they fail to meet a specific criteria, and subsequently go to waste. For Farmers Pick, this speaks to the exact issue we are trying to eradicate, and it’s these illogical rules that affect the rising cost of groceries. By launching Farmers Pick Pantry, we aim to reduce costs and put an end to food waste beyond fruit and vegetables,” he said.
With regards to its main offering of imperfect fruit and vegetables, Farmers Pick has also expanded its core offering to include an option to include either only fruits or only vegetables in their weekly box. Since inception, Farmer’s Pick has successfully rescued more than 1,300,000 kilograms of perfectly good produce, preventing it from unnecessarily going to waste.
With 7.6 million tonnes of food waste annually in Australia, co-founder Josh Brooks-Duncan says Australians are deserving of convenient and simple solutions to make a difference.
“Farmers Pick was born out of a desire to see all imperfect fruit and vegetables reach Australian households. Each year, $36.6 billion worth of food is wasted, equating to 312kg per person, or roughly $2,250 per household each year. The amount of wastage created due to unrealistic cosmetic standards is disturbing, and we are determined to create solutions to this ongoing problem,” he said.
The full range of offerings will include Market Lane, Josh’s Rainbow Eggs, Ugly Duck, Minor Figures, Happy Happy, Mayvers, and Cobs.
Farmers Pick is currently available in Victoria, ACT, and NSW, with plans for national expansion. Its commitment to creating a circular food system showcases its leadership in the sustainable food industry and its steadfast dedication to promoting positive social and environmental outcomes.
For more information about Farmers Pick, visit farmerspick.com.au.
