A student has launched the UK’s first ‘wonky’ bread subscription service in order to reduce food waste and ‘save the planet one box at a time’.
This week James Eid, 20, from Radlett unveiled Earth & Wheat as his latest business venture that rescues bread which has been rejected based on the standard of its appearance.
James is a fourth generation baker and works in the family bakery when he’s not studying business management at Lancaster University.
He said: "The amount of waste we see is really eye watering and it’s all to do with the standards that shops have based on what can and can’t be sold, if it’s not perfectly round for example like a tortilla, we have to chuck it away because it doesn’t meet the specifications.
"Bread is a natural product, it is going to vary significantly so it’s all about saving what we can and redistributing it in the most eco friendly way we can.
“Our wonky breads may look unattractive, but it will probably taste fresher than the bread at the shops – this is because it is shipped directly from UK bakeries. It’s a subscription model which is quick and easy to use via our website earthandwheat.com. Even our packaging is fully recyclable…it’s wonky bread without wonky practices.”
Research shows 6.6 million tonnes of household food waste was thrown away in 2018 - and almost three quarters (70 per cent) is food that could have been eaten which is 4.5 million tonnes according to Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency experts charity WRAP.
He said: “Food waste makes up a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes significantly to the deterioration of our environment.
"Earth & Wheat’s vision is to ultimately reduce food waste by delivering perfectly fresh wonky bread and supporting local communities when times are tough. We believe no good food should go to waste!"
Customers who subscribe to Earth & Wheat on a weekly or bi-weekly basis will receive one of its £6.99 bread boxes, including delivery. For every box ordered, Eid has pledged to donate the equivalent of a meal’s worth of bread – 450 grams – to food banks to help fight food poverty in the UK.
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