Mall of the Emirates, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim, has introduced its first food rescue program, “Feed the Future” with the aim to rescue and reuse edible food that has been left over from eateries, cafés, food court, and employee catering for the benefit of the local community.
In partnership with technology platform Replate, vendors at Mall of the Emirates will be able to plan and manage donations and coordinate pickups with the UAE Food Bank, which will then distribute those donations to charitable organizations and groups, including workers in communal housing and families.
Additionally, by registering online, residents can contribute to the “Feed the Future Fridge” inside the Mall of the Emirates, allowing those in need to get free food whenever they visit the mall. It’s located on the first floor next to the “Le Burger” aisle and plans to provide 200 meals per week.
The UAE, where almost 38% of the food made each day in the nation is lost, is among the top countries in the world for per capita waste creation, according to the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence. Methane gas, which is allegedly 25 times more harmful than carbon dioxide, is released during the decomposition of food waste.
The UAE imports 90% of its food, which makes it particularly vulnerable to food shortages and insecurity. In order to address this problem, “Feed the Future” uses Replate to automate the food rescue procedure and link F&B establishments in the mall to underserved communities, all while upholding the strictest standards for sustainability in food preparation.
The portal will also monitor “Feed the Future’s” effects on society and the environment. F&B establishments will have access to information on the overall number of pounds of food they have donated each month, as well as the number of meals made possible, water saved, and carbon dioxide avoided.
In order to track patterns, prevent waste in the future, and save money, source reduction tools will also be given to them. Besh Turkish Kitchen, Nando’s, P. F. Chang’s, Paul Café, Pinkberry, Shake Shack, The Butcher Shop & Grill, The Cheesecake Factory, and Sheraton Mall of the Emirates Hotel are just a few of the F&B establishments that are currently taking part.
Fuad Sharaf, Managing Director, UAE Shopping Malls, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, comments: “As a leading shopping destination, we have an important role to play in supporting and protecting the environment, so we look forward to working alongside our tenants in Mall of the Emirates to collectively tackle the critical issue of food waste. Our strategic partnership with Replate and the UAE Foodbank is only a starting point in our sustainability journey as we work towards Majid Al Futtaim’s goal of becoming Net Positive by 2040. Mall of the Emirates encourages all its F&B outlets to join this initiative and work towards sharing and reusing resources for a sustainable future.”
F&B outlets in Mall of the Emirates only need to sign up as vendors at replate.org, choose a sustainability hero to represent their business, and wait for the timetable to appear on the site. Replate will then list donations by date to keep track of the total amount given and the precise quantities of each food item included, which will aid the mall’s F&B businesses in reducing and preventing waste in the future.
Sayed Essam Al Hashimi, Acting Director of Food Security Department at Dubai Municipality, representing the UAE Food Bank, said: “The future directions of the UAE Food Bank include expanding strategic partnerships with food establishments, companies and hotels to donate surplus food, digital transformation to ensure easy access to the largest number of beneficiaries and donors, contributing to the circular economy, and expanding and spreading globally and regionally to reach out to the largest number of beneficiaries worldwide.”
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