PROBLEM

We live in an era where five billion people have cellphones and three billion live in poverty. In South Africa more than half the population (55.5% / 30 Million people) live below the national poverty line (of R992 per month); people can access technology but not their basic needs. 

An estimated 1.3 billion tons of food goes to waste globally each year and approximately 10 million tons of that is from South Africa.

We are missing an important link; between the food industry and our devices. We need a platform which allows people  to use their phones to access excess stock and help distribute to communities in need.

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SOLUTION

The app is for people who can’t afford their basic needs.

So that they can reach out to companies who have the resources they consider ‘waste’ and are able to support and sell their excess products at a lower cost. 

The app would send out a location and time of a place where a delivery truck will stop (in a township or something similar) and sell these products which have exceeded their shelf life, at a cheaper rate.

It will also help people identify where the soup kitchens and community food drives are in their area.

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STATS

There is a surplus of food at all retailers and food manufacturers. Food that has passed its “sell by” but not “expiry date” is getting dumped into land fills even though it is safe to eat. 

“Contrary to popular belief, expiration date labels often don’t indicate whether food is still safe to eat. Expiration dates are really meant to indicate freshness” Dana Gunders, scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told Fast Company.

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OBJECTIVES

Create a platform to help feed people living in poverty and save them money

Have a user friendly app which allows people to easily donate food

Allow families living in rural areas to easily locate soup kitchens near them

Reduce the surplus of edible and wasted food from grocery stores by selling it at a discounted price to either soup kitchens or rural markets/ people 

Allow universal access to all languages, including people who can’t read, through icons and symbols

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AIMS

‘Feed’ will reduce the abundance of wasted food in South Africa by donating and selling food that has passed its sell by date (but not expiry date) at a reduced cost to soup kitchens. People will also be able to donate and drop off food at designated drop zones where Feed can sell the products at a cheaper rate.

By selling food at a discounted price, Feed will help people struggling to afford food, too easily locate soup kitchens, food drives and donation points. Feed will bridge the gap between massive food retailers and individuals in need.