Forkful, a Melbourne-based startup, has received money from the City of Casey’s Circular Economy Living Lab Grant, allowing it to launch its platform across the City of Casey’s 27 areas.
Founded in 2020, Forkful is a digital marketplace connecting local hungry communities with restaurants and grocery stores to purchase surplus food at a cheap price. The business collaborates directly with companies including cafes, restaurants, bakers, and food stores with the goal of lowering the millions of tonnes of food that are wasted in Australia each year.
Consumers can explore the Forkful website to see what’s on special in their neighbourhood and get an end-of-day discount when it launches in February. Prior to the launch, Forkful wants to engage with hospitality organisations interested in decreasing food waste while improving sales.
“We’re in the process of connecting with local businesses to get them on board with our mission to divert delicious surplus food from landfill and into the mouths of hungry local consumers,” said Natalie Sarau, Forkful’s founder.
“Times are tough right now, so if we can get extra dollars in the pockets of business owners, save food from landfill, and help consumers get cheaper meals, then it’s a win for all involved.”
According to Forkful, more than 2 million Australian households have suffered from food insecurity and increased living costs in the last year. After a trial in the City of Darebin earlier this year, Forkful said it had recognised the platform’s instant good impact.
“Interestingly, 75 per cent of purchases were made by people that hadn’t been to the venue they purchased from before, so we know that this is a really exciting opportunity to connect local businesses with new consumers in their area,” she added.
Sarau stated that the award and subsequent launch is a step toward the company’s objective of expanding to Greater Melbourne within the following year.
