Cover Food waste accounts for 30 per cent of municipal solid waste in Hong Kong (Photo: Getty Images)
Food waste accounts for 30 per cent of municipal solid waste in Hong Kong (Photo: Getty Images)
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From Feeding Hong Kong to More Good, these local NGOs are trying to reduce the city’s food waste problem by collecting surplus food and finding ways to redistribute it to underprivileged people
With a staggering 3,300 tonnes of food discarded daily, food waste represents about 30 per cent of all municipal solid waste generated in Hong Kong, according to a recent report published by the government’s Environmental Protection Department. Households are the prime culprits, tossing out 71 kilograms of food per person yearly, while wet markets and supermarkets squander tonnes of food every day. At the same time, over 1.4 million people live below the poverty line or around 20 per cent of the city’s 7.5 million inhabitants, two-thirds of whom are in a state of food insecurity. Thankfully, a few charities have stepped up to the challenge of addressing this environmental and social issue in creative ways. Here are five of them to support.
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1. Foodlink Foundation
A food bank pioneer in Hong Kong since 2001, Foodlink Foundation collects an average of 665 tonnes of safe-to-eat surplus food from hotels, restaurants and supermarkets every year to redistribute to underprivileged communities through its charity partners. The organisation also maintains a store in Kwun Tong to store fresh produce and packaged food that low-income families can pick up free of charge. So far, it has helped provide over 1.6 million meals to those in need, reducing food waste and “replacing hunger with a smile”, as per the charity’s website.
Foodlink Foundation
Address: C1, 10/F, 14 Hing Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
2. Feeding Hong Kong
Founded in 2011 by Gabrielle Kirstein (Asia’s Most Influential 2022, 2021), Feeding Hong Kong collects surplus food from Hong Kong vendors and restaurants, and sends it to local charities. Though it does not cook or deliver food to individuals, the charity maintains two warehouses in Yau Tong with a combined storage capacity of 11,500 sqft to handle large pallet donations.
Feeding Hong Kong
Address: Unit 715-717 (Main office & warehouse) & Unit 213 (warehouse), Block A2, Yau Tong Industrial City, 17-25 Ko Fai Road, Yau Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
3. Food Angel
Above Food Angel prepares meals from recovered food and distributes them to charities who serve it to communities in need around Hong Kong (Photo: Instagram / @foodangel_hk_official)
Food Angel prepares meals from recovered food and distributes them to charities who serve it to communities in need around Hong Kong (Photo: Instagram / @foodangel_hk_official)
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Launching its inaugural World Food Rescue Week from May 30 to June 5, Food Angel hopes to raise awareness of the food waste crisis and mobilise support for those in need. Founded in 2011, the charity recovers surplus food from the food industry or receives it from charities such as Foodlink Foundation or Feeding Hong Kong. It then prepares meals and channels them to charity partners who serve underprivileged communities.
Food Angel
Address: 2/F, Fung Sing Building, 235 Hai Tan Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
4. Food Grace
Above Food Grace specialises in collecting leftover fruits and vegetables from wet markets across Hong Kong (Photo: Instagram / @food_grace)
Food Grace specialises in collecting leftover fruits and vegetables from wet markets across Hong Kong (Photo: Instagram / @food_grace)
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Founded in 2009, Food Grace collects leftover fruits and vegetables from wet markets in Hong Kong and recycles them in its many food recycling centres in New Territories. The NGO also educates people about food waste reduction with workshops and other activities.
Food Grace
Address (main office): 9/F, 131 Wo Yi Hop Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong
Address (food recycling centres): multiple locations in Hong Kong across Tai Po, Yuen Long and Kwai Tsing
5. More Good
Founded in 2022 by a group of friends in Hong Kong’s food and beverage industry, More Good provides nutritious meals to the underprivileged in the city. The charity engages communities with educational workshops and volunteering opportunities to help prepare meals and learn about the importance of a wholesome and nutritious diet.
More Good
Address: Unit A, 5/F, Sum Lung Industrial Building, 11 Sun Yip Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
Khoa Tran is Social Impact Editor at Tatler Hong Kong. He covers stories touching on sustainability, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and diversity. Trained as a lawyer, Khoa’s work as a writer had previously touched up topics such as regulatory compliance, ESG, and banking. Outside of the office, he enjoys rock climbing and relaxing in jazz clubs.
