Recipe box outfit Gousto has launched a new scheme with courier partner DPD to combat food waste within the supply chain.
The scheme sees DPD drivers facilitate the rerouting of any failed box deliveries to the surplus food redistribution charity FareShare. The food is then donated to charities and community groups who provide meals and support to vulnerable people all across the UK.
Launching initially as a trial at DPD sites, the scheme will support Gousto’s commitment that no usable waste ends up in landfill or incineration.
The move comes as Gousto expands its fulfilment network, opening two new fulfilment centres by the end of next year to help deliver more boxes to homes across the UK, as demand for its meals increases.
Sally Matthews, chief product officer at Gousto, said: “Food waste is a huge issue within the traditional grocery supply chain. We’re proud to operate with less than one per cent surplus food but there’s always more to be done.
'By partnering with suppliers like DPD who share our ambitions to create a more sustainable supply chain, and with the help of amazing charities like FareShare, we can make a real difference. There are no excuses for inaction and we hope others in the industry will set up similar operations.”
Gousto and FareShare first began working together in December 2020 to redistribute usable surplus food from Gousto’s fulfilment centres to people in need. Since then, the recipe box company has donated 78.7 tonnes of surplus food, which FareShare has successfully redistributed to 1,629 charities across the UK.
Gousto pointed out that food waste is already kept to less than one per cent surplus in its fulfillment centres, thanks to AI technology predicting weekly order volumes to prevent over-ordering from suppliers.
Olly Craughan, head of CSR at DPD, added: “We’re thrilled to have taken our day to day operations with Gousto to the next level, allowing us to redistribute surplus food to FareShare and those in need, whilst combating waste. We’re looking forward to scaling the operation moving forwards and encourage others to follow suit.”
