Rejected food

In the present day, the issue of food loss at the farm level is a matter of great concern. Globally, a staggering 15% of the food produced is lost before it even reaches distribution, surpassing the combined amount of food wasted in retail, food services, and households (WWF, 2021). Particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, an alarming statistic reveals that approximately 50% of fruits and vegetables never reach consumers due to various logistical and infrastructural challenges (Rockefeller, 2016). In East Africa, more than 30% of the food produced is lost due to inadequate post-harvest storage facilities and inefficient routes to market. Specifically in Tanzania, a staggering 26,000 tons of food waste is generated every day, highlighting the urgent need for improved infrastructure and logistical solutions (EAC, 2022).In Tanzania alone, these post-harvest losses translate to significant annual losses. This situation exacerbates food security issues, with many Tanzanians experiencing food insecurity or inadequate nutrition. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition has led to stunted growth in children under 5 years old. Moreover, with agriculture being the livelihood for over 75% of Tanzanians, these losses also directly impact farmer incomes. Addressing post-harvest losses is therefore crucial not only for food security and nutrition but also for the economic well-being of farmers and their communities.

Rejected Food is a digitally driven platform dedicated to combating food loss and waste, with a focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, boosting farmer incomes, and enhancing consumer access to nutritious food. Our strategy involves sourcing imperfect, surplus, and rescued produce from a vast network of smallholder farmers throughout Tanzania and distributing it to various customers, including retail markets and food processors, at affordable prices.

In addition to facilitating transactions, our platform collects crucial data to investigate why 50% of fruits and vegetables fail to reach consumers. This data-driven approach informs our future interventions, allowing us to continually refine our strategies and maximize impact. Through innovation and collaboration, Rejected Food is at the forefront of addressing the global challenge of food loss and waste.

Smallholder farmers: We play a crucial role in boosting farmers' incomes by offering a reliable market for their imperfect produce, which would otherwise be discarded. Given that over 80% of the world's poorest individuals reside in rural areas and are engaged in agriculture, enhancing farmers' earnings can yield significant development advantages.

Low-income customers: Additionally, by selling produce at an affordable price—typically 50% lower than the standard market rate—the company ensures accessibility and affordability of nutritious food for low-income customers. This approach directly addresses the prevalent issue of food insecurity, which affects a staggering people across the African continent. By providing affordable and nutritious food options, the company contributes to alleviating food insecurity and improving the overall well-being of communities.

Rejected Food has made significant strides in its mission, positively impacting over 1,000 farmers physically and an additional  750 digitally. With a presence in five sites across four districts in Tanzania, our reach continues to expand. Leading our team is Novath Kessy, our CEO, whose expertise in agribusiness, technology, and firsthand experience in both public and private sectors uniquely positions him to champion our cause. Novath's vision is supported by Deo Samweli, our Supply Officer, who brings specialized knowledge in food loss, and Anna Kawishe, our Sales Manager, with a background in sales and marketing.

Our management team is complemented by a group of talented Tanzanians, diverse in their expertise, including postharvest loss, informatics, finance, and more. Rooted in Arusha, we pride ourselves on being a farm-led team, with approximately one-third of our members originating from the very communities we serve, including informal settlements.
Our innovative model involves aggregating farm produce, particularly imperfect crops that would otherwise be overlooked, and connecting them with businesses such as restaurants and food processors through various sales channels, including our online marketplace. Our close engagement with farmers and consumers ensures that our model remains responsive and continuously evolves to meet their needs.
To maintain high standards of service, we employ user-centric practices, soliciting feedback through satisfaction surveys sent via text message to farmers and customers. Negative feedback prompts personalized follow-up calls from our customer care team, and all feedback is meticulously reviewed to drive improvements. Additionally, rescue food loss outcome surveys are conducted to monitor progress and ensure farmers receive necessary support.
Our commitment to innovation is evident in our human-centered design methodology, where ideas are rapidly tested, refined, and improved based on feedback. We prioritize continuous improvement and leverage our experience in executing and scaling initiatives to combat food loss and enhance farming outcomes, ultimately creating value for all stakeholders involved.
We firmly believe that addressing food loss not only presents a significant opportunity for impact but also offers compelling commercial prospects, particularly through value addition and margin expansion. With our dedicated team and community-driven approach, Rejected Food is poised to make a lasting difference in Tanzania's agricultural landscape and beyond.

The pilot program has proven the effectiveness of our collection tool, allowing vendors to seamlessly place orders for imperfect crop products directly from farms, including smallholders. These products, often overlooked by distributors, are then connected with businesses such as restaurants and food processors, with orders delivered within 24 hours, ensuring a swift and reliable supply chain.

The success of the pilot program highlights its potential to significantly reduce food loss and waste, consequently lowering greenhouse gas emissions, increasing farmer incomes, and enhancing affordability of nutritious food for consumers. Furthermore, we are exploring opportunities to tap into the carbon market by conducting a feasibility study to pioneer a new methodology that quantifies emission reductions resulting from reducing food loss and waste. This initiative aims to establish standards in environmental and social markets, allowing us to earn revenue from selling carbon offset credits.

By leveraging innovative solutions and forging partnerships across various sectors, we are not only addressing pressing issues in food sustainability but also creating economic opportunities and contributing to environmental conservation efforts.

Quality is at the heart of our operations, and we have taken deliberate and sometimes gradual steps to ensure excellence. Our refined quality system, embraced by farmers, has already served over 5000 low-income customers effectively. Now, we are poised to scale this system further, and the financial backing and recognition from this prize would be instrumental in achieving our goal of doubling our reach within the next 12 months and forging new partnerships.

However, there are significant challenges that we must address to realize our vision:

Financial Risk: Scaling a low-margin, mass-market business for the base of the pyramid requires substantial capital investment—approximately $5 million over the next five years for regional expansion.
Technical Risk: Continuously developing our food loss reduction and data platform entails integrating additional data sources and enhancing our team's technical capabilities in a competitive hiring landscape.
To mitigate these risks, we are prioritizing the hiring and upskilling of our development team to achieve key milestones:

Building a robust data platform to gather granular data, including climate information and factors contributing to food loss, to enhance farming outcomes and establish a more circular food system.
Leveraging our grading system and data platform to identify root causes of produce disfigurement. For instance, if poor-quality seeds are to blame, we can collaborate with reputable seed providers; if inadequate harvesting techniques are the issue, targeted training programs can be implemented.
We welcome additional resources and mentorship to support talent acquisition and further our mission. With strategic support, we are confident in our ability to overcome challenges and continue making a meaningful impact in reducing food loss and improving farming outcomes.

With over a billion tons of food wasted on farms globally each year, we're stepping up with a solution. Our straightforward B2B platform is tackling a significant portion of the 40% of uneaten food by repurposing surplus and imperfect produce. Through our tech-enabled platform, we're revolutionizing Kenya's agriculture sector by streamlining supply and demand, optimizing logistics, and providing seamless customer interactions.

Our overarching goal is to revolutionize the way food is valued and utilized. We're deeply committed to reducing the environmental impact of agriculture, uplifting farmer incomes, and enhancing accessibility to nutritious food for all.

By reshaping how food is sourced, distributed, and consumed, we're setting a new benchmark for food sustainability and beyond. Our dedication to innovation and our determination to transform Kenya's food system align perfectly with our values, embodying the kind of innovative spirit we hold dear.

To mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and preserve crucial resources like land, water, and energy, it's essential to ensure that all food remains within the human food chain. Food loss and waste contribute to approximately 10% of global emissions. By rescuing and repurposing imperfect or surplus fruits and vegetables, We plays a vital role in reducing the need for additional food production, thus lowering emissions. Moreover, preventing food waste from reaching landfills helps curb methane emissions during decomposition, further reducing overall emissions.

Through careful calculation, We  determined that the approximately 55,000 kilograms of vegetables they've rescued have prevented roughly 260 tons of CO2-equivalent emissions. Remarkably, the startup maintains less than a 1.5% food loss in its supply chain. Proceeds from their 100% organic compost, derived from food waste, contribute to  benefit food-insecure communities.

We also empowers farmers by offering a reliable market for their imperfect produce, effectively increasing their income. Given that over 80% of the world's poorest individuals reside in rural areas and engage in agriculture, such income boosts can foster significant development benefits.

In addition to supporting farmers, the company sells produce to customers at prices significantly lower (by approximately 50%) than the standard market rate. This affordability not only improves access to nutritious food but also addresses the pervasive issue of food insecurity, affecting a staggering 346 million people across the African continent. Through its multifaceted approach, We demonstrates a commitment to environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, and community well-being.

Through its offline operations, the company has already made significant strides in the market, and the recent launch of its digital marketplace promises to expand its reach to even more customers and farmers. This expansion has not only benefited customers and farmers but has also resulted in additional income for farmers through the sale of rescued produce.

As the company continues to grow, its projected customer base is set to increase by approximately 200% by 2025. This growth trajectory has the potential to revolutionize the local food industry, providing customers with unparalleled access to fresh, high-quality produce while ensuring farmers a reliable market for their products. Thus far, the company has achieved notable success, with even greater potential on the horizon.

Over the next three years, our model aims to deliver outsized impact on multiple fronts:

Impact: Providing life-changing products and services to underserved populations, which may include financial services like loans, savings, insurance, and investment, as well as access to essential services such as energy, sanitation, and water.
Access: Serving 50,000 farmers through expansion into 50 locations and leveraging our digital platform to enhance accessibility.
Quality: Maintaining a 90% average score in product quality through continuous performance improvement and worker training initiatives.
Growth potential: Establishing ourselves as an investment-worthy entity by developing scalable businesses with high growth potential.
With these ambitious goals in mind, we are poised to make a lasting impact on the agricultural sector while driving positive change in the communities we serve.

Our mobile app serves as the cornerstone of our technology, providing a simple demand collection tool for vendors to place orders for imperfect crop products directly from farms, including smallholders. These products, often overlooked by distributors due to their size, shape, or appearance, are then connected with businesses such as restaurants and food processors. Orders are delivered within 24 hours, ensuring a swift and reliable supply chain.

In addition to the mobile app, we offer an alternative solution for small-scale vendors without smartphones through Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD). This technology allows vendors and farmers to engage in text-based communication sessions with mobile network operators or other companies. Unlike SMS, USSD provides an active, timed session between the user and the application, making it ideal for menu-based information services. Both USSD and SMS are accessible on basic phones, ensuring widespread usability among our target demographic.

Our platforms are designed to be user-friendly, requiring only basic training for vendors and farmers to utilize effectively. Even those who have never owned a mobile phone can quickly adapt to our simple interfaces, enabling widespread adoption and participation in our supply chain ecosystem. By leveraging mobile technology, we not only streamline operations but also create economic opportunities, provide consistent access to quality produce, and offer employment opportunities, particularly for youth and women along the value chain. Additionally, our approach ensures lower prices for consumers, fostering affordability and accessibility to nutritious food options.

20 workers

2 years

With the exception of its founder, We takes pride in being an entirely Tanzanian-run company. The Tanzanian management team, all of whom hold stock in the company, reflects a diverse array of individuals from different economic backgrounds, past experiences, and Tanzania's various tribes.

One-third of our team is directly recruited from the impoverished areas in which we operate. This not only provides employment opportunities to locals but also stems from the belief that individuals within these communities possess invaluable insights on how best to serve them.

The majority of our farmers and customers are female, hailing from some of the most marginalized communities. Our first step is to ensure the right people are in the room by hiring Tanzanians from diverse technical backgrounds, including those from farming populations.

Building on this foundation, We has established a flat organizational structure that emphasizes strong alignment with company strategy and values. Semi-autonomous teams are empowered to collaborate and make day-to-day decisions in pursuit of the organization's goals.

To further enhance our ability to listen to all voices and invest in the next generation of leaders, we have engaged two executive-level volunteers, including a current leadership coach. Their role is to reflect on and improve how the organization fosters alignment, develops its team, and empowers individuals to autonomously work toward common objectives.

Given that we focuses on serving the base of the pyramid, we prioritize putting the patient in the room when making decisions. As a social business, we understand that customers are parting with hard-earned money for quality service, which necessitates aligning our performance precisely with their wants and needs.

We are working to reduce food loss and improve farming outcomes. We aggregate imperfect produce from small-scale farmers and sell it to businesses like restaurants. This helps to ensure that farmers get a fair price for their crops and that businesses have access to fresh, high-quality produce. In addition to aggregation, Farm to Feed also collects data on factors that contribute to food loss. This data includes information on storage conditions, transportation, and spoilage. By understanding these factors, Farm to Feed can develop strategies to reduce food loss throughout the supply chain. We to create a more circular food system. A circular food system minimizes waste and maximizes resource use. By reducing food loss, Farm to Feed is helping to conserve water, land, and other resources. We work at is having a positive impact on both farmers and businesses. Farmers are earning more income, and businesses are getting access to better-quality produce. Diverse Sales Channels: To reach its diverse customer base, we operate multiple sales channels, including sales representatives, a web app, and soon, a WhatsApp chatbot for customers preferring social commerce. This approach ensures accessibility and convenience for farmers and buyers alike.

Data-Driven Solutions: Beyond our e-commerce platform, we are building a data platform to collect granular data, including climate information and drivers of food loss, to improve farming outcomes and create a more circular food system. This data-driven approach enables us to identify areas for improvement and collaborate with partners to enhance farming practices.
Value Addition and Sustainability: We are exploring new revenue streams through a value-addition pilot and plans to tap into the carbon market by quantifying emission reductions from reducing food loss and waste. This strategy not only creates economic opportunities but also promotes sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship.

We operate as a business-to-business marketplace leveraging technology to aggregate imperfect crop products—those typically overlooked by distributors due to size, shape, or appearance—and connect them with businesses such as restaurants and food processors. Our sales channels, including an online marketplace, facilitate seamless transactions.

Technology serves as a key enabler, driving efficiency across all aspects of our operations. From sales to logistics and route planning, to finance and accounting, our backend processes are fully digitized and automated. Furthermore, we facilitate cashless payments by accepting transactions via mobile money providers, ensuring convenience for both buyers and sellers.

Recognizing the significant role of street food in urban centers, where 33% of nutritional intake comes from street vendors, and even more so in low-income neighborhoods, where over 40% of households rely on street food and 80% of vendors are women, we aim to address food loss and waste while enhancing farmers' incomes.

Our digitally enabled solution is tailored to reduce food loss and waste while simultaneously boosting farmers' earnings. By creating a market for surplus and imperfect produce, particularly targeting resource-poor, smallholder farmers, we contribute to food security and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

Through our home-grown, climate-smart approach, we are pioneering a sustainable solution to food loss and waste, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change and foster economic empowerment within agricultural communities.