Food Waste Prevention Week: Spotlighting partnerships that help Keep Austin Fed reduce local food waste

April 10-16th is Food Waste Prevention Week, and an opportunity to show how reducing food waste helps address food insecurity in our communities. Rescuing surplus food and redistributing it is key to Keep Austin Fed’s (KAF) mission, and the reason why we partner with dozens of local food businesses and community organizations.

Sprouts Farmers Market, one of our regular food contributors, donates surplus grocery food items from four of their Austin stores multiple times a week. Amy Griffith, Assistant Store Manager at the S. Lamar Blvd. store, says her team works hard to ensure minimal food is wasted.

“We really go through everything that we pull from the floor and try to save everything we possibly can. It’s not our goal to make [edible food] trash. It is our goal to make it food for someone else,” Griffith says. “It’s just a conscious effort working as a team.”

In 2022, KAF hit an organizational milestone of reaching over 1 million pounds of surplus food in a single year, and Sprouts S. Lamar was the store that got us over the millionth pound. Griffith says that contributing to that accomplishment is something she and the rest of the Sprouts team takes pride in. 

“I hate wasting food,” Griffith expressed. “So, the fact that we can take the food that we can’t sell but still give it to people, it’s awesome. I think it’s a great program.”

Griffith also encourages other food businesses to look into donating their surplus food instead of tossing it.

“There are so many people out there who are just trying to get their next meal… The ability to feed people who are just trying to survive, every business should try to [donate surplus food].”

Angel House Soup Kitchen has been serving food to unhoused individuals in the Austin area since 1986, and has been a KAF recipient partner for over six years. Ranging from fresh bread and produce to trays of prepared food, Angel House receives multiple weekly deliveries through KAF. These food donations are used to create warm, filling meals – something that Angel House Director, Cindy Smith, says is a great help.

“We are here for anyone and everybody. We don’t ask questions. Anyone that’s hungry in Austin – even outside Austin – they can come here. We’re here to serve everybody,” Smith says. “With what [KAF] gives, it gives them enough for breakfast, lunch, and supper for that day.”

Angel House helps with our mission by turning food donations into consistent meals to neighbors in need.

“If they didn’t have places like this, they would go hungry. Because [KAF] is preserving that food; which, is beautiful and there’s nothing wrong with it. It gives them nutritious food instead of other ways that they have to look for food,” Smith says. “We just appreciate Keep Austin Fed and the partnership that you all have with us. Such a blessing!”

Learn more on how your food business can donate surplus food at bit.ly/KAFContributorApp