As a result of this, about one-third of food produced globally for human consumption is either lost or wasted.

Speaking to FMT recently, Clara Wan, whose husband works in the food distribution sector, said she was shocked to see the amount of food waste generated when so many fruits and vegetables were still fit for human consumption.

“I didn’t know supermarkets rejected fresh produce upfront. Even if a single item is spoiled, the entire basket gets rejected,” said the 35-year-old who used to work in the non-profit sector.

Wishing to do her bit to minimise this waste, Wan and her friend, Shirley Chan, co-founded Graze Market in June 2019, a social enterprise that sells rescued produce at discounted prices.

The duo purchase rejected or surplus produce from local farmers, as well as food distributors and importers.

Customers can purchase these items from their store in Ara Damansara at a 30-50% discount.

One can also opt for the “Graze Box”, which consists of about six to seven kg of assorted fresh produce at RM49.

In addition, the team at Graze Market uses the surplus produce to make a variety of jam, sauces, condiments, kombucha and dried fruits. Their pesto sauce in particular has turned out to be a huge hit with customers.

“We also sell food products that are nearing their ‘Best Before’ or ‘Expiry’ dates, such as ice cream, yoghurt, peanut butter and frozen berries,” said Chan, 36, who is a chemical engineer by training.

Graze Market also distributes the rescued produce as food aid to the needy- a practice which started during the pandemic. They do this in collaboration with corporations and individual sponsors.

There is also a “free food” section in the store, and in the future, they are looking at setting up pop-up or mobile stalls to cater to low-income communities.

Farmers, corporations, as well as café and restaurant owners who would like to collaborate can get in touch with them.

“We’d also like to work with the human resources department so we can deliver fresh produce to your office,” said Wan.

Although they have received strong support from those appreciative of what they do, the duo admit it was challenging at first as they had limited space and resources. They also didn’t have business experience.

“I felt like throwing in the towel every three months, but we persevered, and it was a milestone for us when we moved into this bigger store in December last year,” said Wan.

In early 2023, they will be opening a surplus food café right next door that will double up as a space for workshops and events.

At the end of the day, Wan said it’s important to be aware that producing food requires a lot of effort. “We’re so used to seeing fresh produce in abundance on shelves, so we don’t think twice about throwing them away.”

In addition, food waste contributes towards climate change, as upon degrading, they produce toxic greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.

“I’ve seen how little people have to eat when I used to work in non-profit organisations, and yet here we are, throwing away perfectly edible food,” she said, adding that this contributes to higher food prices, making essential food even more unaffordable to the needy.

“It’s a cycle we need to break; personally, for me, it’s about understanding the consequences of our actions, and doing what we can.”

Visit Graze Market’s website, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

For more information, contact them at 014-2282530.