Food hall joins fight against food and packaging waste

Faversham-based food hall Macknade has unveiled a range of eco-friendly changes across the business. The new ‘Unpackaged at Macknade’ section features produce in dispensers, giving customers the opportunity to bring in their own containers to fill up on loose grains, pulses, rice, dried fruit, nuts and pasta. The business is also partnering up with other enterprises to repurpose fruit and vegetables and reduce food waste within its kitchen. Macknade is working with Wasted Kitchen, a food repurposing initiative run by Mighty Fine Things, as well as Indie Ecology founder and Food Waste Farmer Igor Vaintraub, who is assisting with composting waste food and working it back into the land for local farmers and growers.

Managing director Stefano Cuomo explains, “Fundamentally, the new Unpackaged at Macknade section means there is less waste, it’s better for the environment and the unit costs are reduced. Additionally, our customers can now sample premium products in smaller quantities, instead of a 500g bag of premium pasta they can just choose to buy just one or two portions. We have a large dispenser unit with 30 products; it has been so popular with customers that we are already looking to increase the range. Our butcher and deli counters wrap produce in waxed paper, wherever possible, which is recyclable, but customers can choose to bring in their own containers to take home cheese, deli salads or slice cooked meats.”