Take what you need, give what you can.
This is the motto of Australia’s first rescue food supermarket, OzHarvest Market. The Sydney-based supermarket stocks a range of food, anywhere from fresh fruit and vegetables to fresh bread, nuts, tinned goods, frozen food and cosmetics.
OzHarvest collects food from 2000+ commercial outlets such as Coles and Woolworths, and what isn’t donated to 900+ charities is compiled into OzHarvest Market.
So, how does it work? The single-floor supermarket located on Anzac Parade in Kensington invites consumers of all backgrounds to take whatever it is they need, and if they can afford to pay, the money will be donated to charity.
The aim is to reduce food waste, help those in need and reduce landfill. The fresh food on offer is just as aesthetically pleasing as what you might find in your local Woolworths, and equally as fit for human consumption. The supermarket is run entirely by volunteers, who were overwhelmed by the enormous positive response the store had already received from the community, reportedly raking in thousands of dollars within just a few hours of operation.
In addition to the transformation of what formerly was a Chinese restaurant, the level above OzHarvest Market has also been donated to a good cause. Once the Addison Hotel, owned by TOGA development group, has turned into pop-up housing for families and youth in need. This is the result of a year-long development plan limbo, which would leave the building temporarily abandoned for 12 months.
OzHarvest founder and CEO Ronni Kahn is to thank for the forward thinking and bending of state law, allowing commercial outlets to freely donate without any fear of liability. Confident the store will attract high demand, OzHarvest is hoping to expand in the near future, with extended trading hours and the addition of a soup kitchen. Faith in humanity has once again been restored!
