Dutoit, Good Hope Fruit and Pick n Pay partner to decrease food waste with Hail to Heroes campaign
South Africa faces a staggering 10 million tonnes of annual food loss, with a significant amount ending up in landfills. The apple industry has been hit hard by hailstorms, including those in November 2022 and February this year. In response, Dutoit Agri, Good Hope Fruit, and Pick n Pay have partnered for an inspiring campaign.
The “Hail to Heroes” campaign addresses food waste and aims to guarantee a consistent apple supply in Pick n Pay stores. By challenging the perception of cosmetic imperfections, we celebrate visually flawed fruits as heroes, recognising their true value and nutritional benefits.
This partnership takes a proactive stance against food waste, urging consumers to choose cosmetically blemished produce and contribute to a sustainable food system.
Nutritious and delicious
Apples have the ability to repair themselves after suffering superficial indentation caused by the impact of a hard piece of ice. According to Jaco Jordaan, Technical Manager at Good Hope Fruit, hail generally only causes cosmetic damage.
“The fruit quality and taste of these apples remain perfectly intact, with the exact same nutritional value and delicious taste as those that are not damaged,” he says.
“While our human scars do not define us, the natural scars from hail do not define what lies beneath the skin of the fruit. The wonderful eating experience remains intact – nutritious and delicious, just the same as our wholesome spirits as humans,” says Linde du Toit, Head of Technical at Dutoit.
Don’t judge an apple by its cover