OzHarvest Market in Kensington offers donated or surplus grocery products that would otherwise be thrown out

Australia’s first rescued-food supermarket has opened in Sydney, providing donated or surplus produce to customers on a pay-what-they-can basis, in an effort to reduce the estimated $8bn to $10bn of food discarded each year.

The OzHarvest Market provides food, from blemished apples to frozen sausage rolls, as well as other items such as sanitary products and toothpaste, which would otherwise be thrown out, sourced from the excess of major supermarket chains, caterers and cafes.

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In a small store in the suburb of Kensington, volunteers stack bulk displays of microwave spaghetti bolognese, Weet-Bix, noodles and rice. Fresh eggplant, mushrooms and a lone pineapple sit next to a rack of canned vegetables, while staff chat about how the big mover today seems to be green curry paste.

Julie, a mother of two also babysitting her nephew, the store’s first ever customer, was returning for her second visit.

“At the moment I’m experiencing some real financial hardship,” she said. “This is a place where I can come and pay a bit of money and still be able to get my shopping done. To go into a supermarket, the money goes very quickly.”

“There are some things I can’t get here, they don’t have cheese or Halal meat, but it takes stress off the cost of the bill at the supermarket. While I’m in this financial hardship, I’d like to come here twice a week.”

The market also stocks hygiene products, baby formula, toothpaste, shampoo and a mobile charging card that provides access to Ask Izzy, a directory of homelessness support services.

Sarah, a customer who came with her infant daughter Millie, said she was pleasantly surprised by the baby supplies on offer.

“When I saw that they had these here, it was a really big relief. The thing is, I was looking to buy these at the supermarket and they’re reasonably priced but still a bit over my budget. It takes the pressure off a little bit.”

Jun, an international student at the nearby University of New Wales said she bought $20 worth of food, including coffee, curry paste and snacks, for $5. “It’s a good way to save money. I’m very close to my final exam and I stopped my part-time job, meaning my income has been reduced”.

Alicia Kirwan, OzHarvest’s NSW manager, said the store has between five and 10 volunteers a shift and serves 150 people a day but expects more. Small signs around the store give food preservation tips (“Onions going bad? Simply dice and freeze.”)

Michelle is a retiree who volunteers at the market once a week.



“OzHarvest really drew me in with their food reclamation,” she said. “I just don’t like it when you walk into a regular supermarket and 30% of food is going to be thrown away. It’s terrible. I love the initiative of reclaiming food and providing people with food if they need it.

“I like the big solid meals that provide nourishment for a whole family. One lady came in and I said ‘What do you like to cook?’, and she grabbed some noodles and said ‘I’d like to make a really huge pad thai’. I’d like to imagine her going home and making a huge pad thai”.



Kirwan said the market receives 20 to 30 loaves of bread a day from the Bread and Butter Project, which provides baking apprenticeships and employment for asylum seekers. “Our bread is beautiful, we get their thirteenth loaf from their bakers dozen,” she said.

She said the market would operate in its Kensington location for as long it has the site, which sits beneath a newly-established youth shelter, but was looking to find other sites to replicate the set-up.

