Selling surplus food to fight world hunger

Supermarkets often have to throw good food away. All it takes is an incorrect label, damaged packaging or an expired ‘best before’ date. That is not sustainable when you think that 800 million people in the world go to bed hungry every single night.

Since 2016, supermarkets in Denmark have had another way to dispose of unsaleable products. They can donate them to Wefood, the supermarket chain for surplus food.

Initiated by the Danish charity DanChurchAid, Wefood has grown out of a close collaboration between large retailers, food manufacturers and a network of around 200 volunteers, who run the stores. Today, more than 40 companies deliver surplus food to the Wefood supermarkets.

Open to everyone

The difference from similar surplus supermarkets in Europe is that Wefood is open to everyone, whether they want to support the fight against food waste or are simply interested in buying groceries at a discount. All prices are 30-50% less than in regular supermarket chains.

420 tons of surplus food that otherwise would have been discarded is saved annually

New products from by-products

Wefood also works with food manufacturers to reduce waste in production. In 2019, this led to the launch of a broken rice product with Nordic Food Partners. The by-product of commercial whole rice production, broken rice used to be discarded. Now consumers can buy it at Wefood. Compared to whole rice, the nutritional value and taste are the same.

Supporting the fight against hunger

In 2023, Wefood saved 473 tons of surplus food that otherwise would have been discarded. In total kr. 4.490.037 was given to the world’s poorest. DanChurchAid puts all profits towards the fight against hunger around the world.