This Social Startup Uses Unsold Food From Airports, And Feed Thousands Of Hungry Children

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one – Mother Teresa

According to TOI, Mumbai Cappuccino outlets near airport boarding gates, food items like sandwiches, rolls, soft drinks and other items are staked in glass chillers every morning. If any flight is delayed then these food items will vanish in no time. But if the flight is canceled in advance and no passenger turn up than story takes a turn and it becomes a lifesaver for hundreds of hungry mouth.

Why Does Food Get Wasted?

According to studies, nearly one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year gets lost or wasted. 40 percent of fruits and vegetables and 30 percent of cereals that are produced are lost due to inefficient supply chain management and do not reach the consumer markets.

In any usual day of an airport, the consumption of food depends on passengers flow and delayed or cancelled flights. That’s why a lot of food gets wasted on a daily basis in most of the airports. So TFS and NGO has come up with a deal to donate excess food from the two airports to “hunger center” of the cities. Every day a food truck comes to Delhi and Mumbai airport and takes away all the surplus food items.

4 facts about hunger in India will surprise you.

194.4 million people i.e. 14.5% of our population is undernourished

20.8% of children under 5 are underweight

37.9% of children under 5 years of age are stunted

51.4% women in the reproductive age (15-49 years) are anemic

Beginning Of The Story

TFS (Travel Food Services) is India’s largest and fastest growing F&B operator in the travel retail segment. Their aim is to deliver the best possible dining experience to their customers.

On the other hand, the founder of Feeding India, Ankit Kawatra started this NGO in 2014. In his words, it was a product of an eventful evening. He was a guest at a lavish wedding party and he came to know that the food that can be fed to thousands of people would be wasted. Months later he had quit his job and Feeding India started with a tie-up with restaurants and cafeterias. Airports became its part from last year.

This initiative begun in Mumbai during October,2018 and in January it started in Delhi. 

Gaurav Dewan, COO and business head, TFS said “We plan to expand the tie-up with Feeding India to airports in Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Goa this year,”. He also added that their company donates 2000-3000 meals per month from these airports.

Donated Food Tested For Quality Before Use

Normally every airport have different flight schedules and flow of passengers varies according to flights and their cancelations. As there is no pattern to this,so a lot of food gets wasted on a daily basis. So according to Dewan, they have been donating 1,000 – 1,500 meals per month from both outlets.(reference)

He also informed that food truck comes in the morning and sometimes in the evening too to collect the excess food and TFS employees work ½ hr extra to contribute in this venture.

Kawatra said that before pickup of the food, they ensure that it is fresh and unused. While doing this they keep pH level in consideration. Also they make sure that the beneficiary should be in 5 Km range so that transportation time is shorter and the food should be consumed within 90 minutes.

He said that “For decades, tonnes of cooked food from airport lounges and restaurants have been going into the bin. In western countries, it’s the standard norm for airlines and airports to donate excess food. But there is a lack of awareness in India. With our partnership with Mumbai and Delhi airports, we hope to reach airlines too,”

After collection of quality checked food form airport, the NGO matches and puts together a balanced diet with rice, curry, roti, vegetables, one beverage and sometimes dessert too. He added that “Food from TFS lounges is distributed to children who are not part of government schools or it goes to shelters and charitable schools with no access to mid-day meals,”

The great irony is despite phenomenal industrial and economic growth and while India produces sufficient food to feed its population, it is unable to provide access to food to a large number of people, especially women and children.