Chocolate-covered frozen bananas are being included as part of a new collaboration to reduce waste of the fruit
Wonky and surplus food subscription service Earth & Wheat has partnered with frozen snack brand Pukpip to fight banana waste and connect with sustainable retailers.
Earth & Wheat is adding Pukpip’s frozen bananas to its boxes from May as part of a competition giveaway for customers. The bananas come dipped in milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate.
Pukpip debuted in January 2023 with the aim of disrupting the ice cream category and snack market. The brand upcycles wonky bananas that are rejected from export because they are the wrong shape or size, have small skin imperfections, or simply because there are too many on a bunch.
Pukpip then transforms the bananas into chocolate-covered snacks, tapping into a reported rise in ‘permissible indulgence’ and frozen snacking.
The products are already listed by Vegan Kind, Whole Foods Market, and Ocado, as well as the wholesaler CLF.
Similarly, Earth & Wheat was set up to save food from being binned due to its odd shape, size, colour – or because the item’s cosmetic specifications did not meet retailers’ standards.
The brand, which is owned by bakery company Signature Flatbreads, introduced the world’s first wonky bread box in March 2021. It them moved into other markets, including wonky and fresh vegetables.
The partnership with Pukpip is part of a series of collaborations planned with other sustainable retailers to promote their products in the company’s wonky boxes throughout 2024.
Earth & Wheat founder James Eid said he is “delighted to be working with Pukpup because our brands are perfectly aligned”.
“We are both inspired by sustainability, helping communities, and caring for our planet.”
He added: “Billions of perfectly delicious bananas are thrown away by producers every year, but Pukpip upcycles them, so they do not go to waste, and they even put the leftover skins back into the eco-system.
“As part of our mission to reduce food waste, Earth & Wheat is keen to hear from other sustainable brands who are also looking to make a difference by reducing food waste and help save the planet.”
