Bridging the hunger gap

Jun 17, 2023

By Gwen Manickam
Seven years ago, a Kuala Lumpur-based non-profit organisation known as The Lost Food Project (TLFP), was founded to help reduce food waste, combat climate change, and fight hunger in the local community.

British-born Suzanne Mooney, a former broadcast journalist with the BBC, reporting for the Today Show, and a group of friends, initiated TLFP in April 2016, two years after Suzanne moved to Malaysia with her family.

According to TLFP’s website, Suzanne found that no professional food banks were taking regular collections of surplus food from supermarkets or farmers in Malaysia. Many great charities were giving out food to people in need – but most of the food was either sponsored or sporadically donated by fast-food chains. Sustainability and environmental concerns were not a priority.

A turning point for Suzanne was a chance meeting with Robert Egger, who founded community kitchens in the United States. This encounter made her realise the impact individuals can have, leading her to establish TLFP.

Suzanne and her team formed a registered society in Malaysia with two charity projects, and The Lost Food Project was born. The organisation was established in response to the alarming amount of food waste in our society and the pressing issue of food insecurity many individuals and families face.

Food insecurity
TLFP’s current chief executive officer, Ariffin Buranudeen said that he loosely classifies food insecurity as those who do not have three full meals a day and those who lack nutritious meals. According to 2019 statistics, 900,000 Malaysians, and more than 200,000 foreigners, face food insecurity. He added that 22 per cent of children under the age of five, living in Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPRs) face stunted growth as their food is often starch and sugar based.

“We try to feed the hungry with nutritious food – both Malaysians and several refugee communities in the vicinity,” said Ariffin, who took on the role two months ago. He comes with 47 years of work experience, of which 31 years were with Nestle. Ariffin jests that he’s the oldest freshie amidst the TLFP team of 10 permanent staff.

“Service to humanity. There is no greater service than to serve someone else,” said the jovial philanthropist who is no stranger to dedicating time and funds to help the less fortunate.

Ariffin added that he reminds his team that they need to salute and thank the volunteers, without whom this mission would not be possible, as they help feed the hungry not the landfill, as the TLFP tagline goes.

The volunteers
Two weeks ago, I visited The Lost Food Project’s new, high-ceilinged, brightly-lit warehouse in Sungai Besi.

The place was pristine, and crates of fresh produce were being processed for collection. The sight of dedicated individuals working diligently on a common goal inspired me.

The peaceful and joyful demeanour of corporate volunteers pruning, washing, and packing vegetables that arrived from Pasar Borong KL the night before was eye-catching. Intrigued by the positive atmosphere, I enquired about signing up as a volunteer.

Nnaemeka Chukwu from Enugu State, Nigeria, has been there almost every week for the last five and half years.

He came to Malaysia in 2010 to further his studies. An accountant by education and teacher by profession, he earned a second degree in business, a master’s in Public Administration, and is now working on his doctorate in Education.

“I learned about TLFP looking for volunteers through a group chat of expatriates and Malaysians called Internation. At first, five of us came to help. The other four didn’t return but I have not looked back.”

The Jesus Caritas parishioner said he volunteers because “As a Christian, it is a way of evangelising. I bring smiles to people’s faces. If you walk around Kota Raya, many people are looking very hungry and waiting for someone to give them food. If we didn’t have TLFP, surely there will be even more hungry people out there.

“The more I do this, the more I assist some people to have food on their table.”

Nnaemeka helps manage the volunteer groups. He preps them before they start their tasks and keeps the environment pumping by playing catchy tunes as they work.

Carmel Rozario from the Church of St Ignatius was recruited by the founder, Suzanne, as they live in the same condo complex in Bangsar, and she’s been volunteering every Thursday for seven years.

“I saw a need and found Suzanne’s intentions pure. Suzanne found there was so much food wastage and personally approached vendors at the wholesale market. I remember going to the grand opening ceremony at Pasar Borong KL. Chef Wan and TV3 were there and that helped create momentum and found some volunteers for the project.

“I wish we could get more people from our churches involved, especially the youth. On days we have corporations sending their staff as a CSR project is great because we have extra hands. Some days we are very short-handed,” said Carmel, whose father was a Society of St Vincent de Paul member.

Several years ago, while Carmel’s husband worked in Nigeria, she helped an American couple raise funds and gather equipment to set up a medical laboratory in a remote village.

“God is so good. I have seen His hand work miracles. I approached a prayer group I belong to, and the expatriate community, and they all helped.

“At TLFP, if we don’t volunteer, imagine the amount of food thrown out. I know we only give certain produce once a week, but surely every little bit helps.

Carmel said they make sure the food is presentable before it leaves the warehouse. “Just because they are poor doesn’t mean they don’t deserve nice things. It is worrying when we don’t get enough vegetables to give for the week. Then we compensate with dry goods like rice, cereal, or milk.”

Carmel comes with her friend Mary Daniel. “It’s a fun and fulfilling activity we do together,” said Mary, who has always played an active role in helping the less fortunate.

The Lost Food Project (TLFP)
The first two years of the project felt like a roller-coaster. The volunteers started by distributing food from supermarkets to charities using their cars. But within three years, the project evolved into the leading food rescue organisation in the country, focusing on rescuing surplus food from various sources and redistributing it to those in need.

TLFP collaborates with food suppliers, farms, and other partners to rescue surplus food, which is then sorted, repackaged, and distributed to various charitable organisations and individuals in need.

Its collaborative partnerships with local farmers, including the wholesale market for fresh produce, Pasar Borong Kuala Lumpur, Selayang, results in them receiving 60 per cent of its fresh produce from the wholesale market, ensuring that surplus produce from both farms and the market is not wasted.

“We work closely with farmers to identify crops at risk of being discarded due to cosmetic imperfections, overstock, or market fluctuations. TLFP’s dedicated team actively engages with farmers, providing them with a sustainable solution to minimise food waste and maximise the impact of their crops. By rescuing this surplus produce, we can effectively distribute it to charitable organisations and individuals in need, addressing both food waste and food insecurity in our community simultaneously,” said Ariffin
Since its establishment, TLFP has partnered with well-known organisations including Nestle, Procter & Gamble, DKSH Holding, Unilever, BIG Grocer, Euro Atlantic, Village Grocer, and Pasar Borong KL, among others.

The organisation takes pride in its diverse community of volunteers who support the cause. “Our organisation believes in fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for people from all backgrounds, races, and religions. We actively encourage and embrace diversity, and it is heart-warming to see individuals with different perspectives and experiences collaborating side by side.”

TLFP’s volunteer opportunities are open to everyone. They actively promote and celebrate diversity through their recruitment efforts. Volunteers from various racial and religious backgrounds are united by a shared commitment to reducing food waste and fighting hunger. We believe that coming together with diverse perspectives and experiences strengthens our organisation and enables us to make a greater impact in the community.”

Since its inception, TLFP has had the privilege of assisting a wide range of individuals and communities in need, including orphanages and children's homes where they provide nutritious meals and essential food supplies, ensuring vulnerable children have access to proper nutrition.

TLFP also supports homeless shelters by supplying fresh produce, packaged food, and other essentials, helping relieve hunger among the homeless.

They have reached out to low-income families, refugee and migrant communities facing food insecurity, offering food assistance and support to ensure access to nourishing meals.

TLFP collaborates with indigenous communities, addressing their specific food needs and cultural requirements to ensure their assistance is sensitive and inclusive.

The organisation’s efforts resulted in rescuing a staggering 4,987,540kg of food, providing 15,435,721 meals to the needy, and preventing 12,468,851kg of greenhouse gas emissions from landfills in Malaysia.

By diverting food waste, TLFP prevents a weekly average of 19 tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.

Currently operating in Kuala Lumpur and certain parts of Petaling Jaya, TLFP serves communities in 15 PPRs and 80 welfare organisations.