Albinder Dhindsa | February 17, 2020 | 3 mins read
Things we do to save food
According to UN estimates, 40 percent of the food produced in India is either lost or wasted. This food wastage however, isn’t limited to one level alone but perforates through every stage; from harvesting, processing, packaging, and transporting to the end stage of consumption.
We are a country where millions of people sleep empty stomachs every night while thousands and thousands throw away unconsumed food without blinking an eyelid. Wastage has become an inseparable part of our daily life.
As an organisation that aids the discovery and delivery of grocery essentials, we want to do something towards solving this problem. Last year we took our first step towards this direction by acknowledging the 2 key areas of improvement within our system:
Supply chain focused: Time taken for goods getting produced to reach the customer plays a massive role in deciding whether food gets wasted or not. So, the overall aim is to keep the wait-time at the minimum.
Liquidation protocols: Proper disposing of the articles returned by the customers can go a long way in arresting the decline of perishables. The age old principle ‘a rotten apple spoils the bunch” stands true here.
What we have been doing to make a difference here:
Studying sales patterns correctly and identifying as accurately as possible, indenting close to sales ensuring 100% availability is one of the biggest levers which can safeguard food material from going to dump especially for perishables category
Good handling practices and in-transit safety of material has again reduced almost 1-2% of material going to waste – we are continuously monitoring and instilling these practices across our warehouses
Storage at minimum days of inventory can again save food material from getting wasted due to pilferage and rodent issues and short span of life. We have been instilling and monitoring good storage practices which are required for any specific food category in terms of humidity, light, temperature, and hygiene can save a lot of material from getting dumped
Handling liquidation or secondary sales on time through properly defined processes can and has again saved food loss with respect to losses due to non-sale
Awareness towards food safety and proper training of manpower has contributed a lot towards saving material from getting dumped – awareness about the issue has been the key to moving the needle
Using appropriate tools and techniques to handle food material has again saved a lot, something we have laser focus on, as an organization
Trying to sell as much as possible through flash sales or seasonal sales has helped save a lot of losses – which can happen due to non sale buying from the right source at the right time, and can again save a lot of material going to waste due to sourcing quality
They say the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Here’s to another one in the direction towards a greener future for us.
At Grofers, we like to listen. To your needs, wants, complaints and your appreciation. It is what helps us get the best shopping experience, right to your doorstep. And having listened to you, we realized that sometimes, shopping can be a confusing task.
The last two decades have brought about significant changes in the lifestyle of Indians. Change is the only constant, but shouldn’t happen at the cost of one’s health. The world has witnessed a rise in the number chronic diseases.
