Waste Knot in Ireland is turning “too ugly” produce into menu ingredients and drinks, easing pressure on growers.
However, an innovative project is aiming to level the playing field for fruit and vegetable growers, with a focus on repurposing food waste.. Kieran Callinan and Gar Byrne from hospitality provider BaxterStorey have been participating in the Waste Knot campaign, which originated in the UK in 2016 and provides “rescued” fruit and vegetables to commercial caterers and restaurants.. The project offers chefs access to more seasonal ingredients while providing a new market to growers burdened
with surplus produce.. Others involved in the initiative include Padraig and Una Fahy from Beechlawn Organic Farm and Matt Carrick of Keelings.. It comes as growers in Ireland face mounting pressure, with factors including labour shortages and climate change seriously threatening their livelihoods.. A total of 74 Bord Bia quality assured commercial field vegetable growers are now operating in Ireland.. This is relatively modest when compared to the 600 earning a living this way in
2000.. Many food producers have bowed to pressure in recent years, including Hughes Farming in Co Kilkenny, which closed last March.. The company, which was responsible for about 12% of Ireland’s carrot production and employed 40 staff, had been hampered by rising costs and challenging weather conditions.. Kieran Callinan, managing director for BaxterStorey Ireland, is now part of a team hoping to create new opportunities for growers.. One of the company’s most recent projects, a
beverage called Upsoda, has allowed them to find other uses from parts of the fruit that are normally discarded.. “We’re taking surplus waste peels from across our business from fruits such as watermelon and pineapple,” Mr Callinan said.. “We used a lot of citrus foods like lemon and we keep those peels.. Normally, they would go into a waste food bin and end up in landfill.. However, we keep the peels and vacuum pack them
for freezing.. This is done in conjunction with O Brother Brewing in Wicklow.. The waste peels are sent to them and they produce a beverage infused with sparkling water, which is on display at our locations.. In some of these locations, we’re taking out a couple of tonnes of waste that would go to landfill and creating a beverage product.. It’s all about rescuing the waste and giving it a second chance.. “We work with
Mastercard in Leopardstown so we have a beverage on display with them.. Their logo is the on the can.. These are waste peels that come from their location and their kitchen and they get collected weekly for this purpose.” Mr Callinan recalled what attracted him to the project.. “We realise that marketing has its job to do and not everyone wants to see ugly vegetables marketed to sale.. There are many reasons why a fruit
or vegetable might appear unattractive.. In the case of root vegetables, there may be a stone or something like that which diverted its growth.. The interesting thing with Beechlawn Organic Farm is that all their produce is coming from nutrient dense soil.. “While it might not look the prettiest, it is absolutely fantastic from a nutritional point of view.. We use this produce for juicing, we use them for soups, anything we can think of
really.. There was a big surplus of beetroot recently, so we had lots of beetroot salads and beetroot on feta salads.. “By partnering with Beechlawn, we were able to use some of their surplus vegetables that would otherwise have been discarded.. It’s all about helping to reduce waste at farm level.. He explained why imperfect vegetables are often more nutritious.. “Because it’s an organic farm, there are no pesticides to ensure that everything looks perfect,
which only adds to its nutritional value.. You’re in the hands of nature and all that good stuff.. We’re very keen to position our business as a vehicle to not only save some really good produce but also to bring it to life at our counters and in our restaurants every day.” Pádraig Fahy from Beechlawn Organic Farm in Co Galway is delighted to be benefitting from the Waste Knot initiative.. “We face the same
challenges as anyone else running an independent businesses,” he told the Irish Examiner.. “You have costs but also the weather to deal with.. In addition to this, you have the competition from cheap imports.. I suppose the reason our farm was chosen for this is because we grow multiple crops when compared to a lot of larger commercial growers who specialise in one or two crops.. “If you’re trying to get a mixed box into
a kitchen it’s better to have multiple ingredients.. Specifications do exist.. If I grow something, it might need to be a minimum of 500g or 300g with no blemishes.. “It’s great that I’m now able to sell off that surplus.. If all producers could find an outlet like this, it would make their jobs a bit more profitable.. I spoke to someone the other day who is selling their waste carrots for animal feed, but
with an alternative outlet they could quadruple the amount they are making.. It’s important that growers come up with new ideas and find markets and solutions for their surplus produce.” Gar Byrne, head of food for BaxterStorey Ireland, reiterated the importance of supporting growers, given the challenging climate.. We are going to be seeing more of these farms turning into solar farms because there is no succession plan.. Sadly, growers are being impacted really hard
by supermarkets.. As a nation, we import about 80% of our produce.. It’s quite scary to think about where our country is at, food security wise.. “Because of foods like cauliflower being priced at just 49c now, many growers can’t compete.. There are challenges with labour structures and other issues.. We just keep losing growers.. If we keep losing growers at the rate we are there’s going to be no Irish food left on our
menus.” He hopes their efforts can make a difference.. “When it comes to things like oversized beets, onions and carrots, the supermarkets just won’t take them.. They’re basically deemed grade 2 so they get dropped out in the production line into storage containers underneath.. That’s where the opportunity came about for us to purchase all the surplus.. “We have 35 sites now taking a delivery every week.. Keelings have been an amazing support as well..
In all, there’s about 350kg a week of vegetables that would have either got left in the field or turned into animal feed or just wasted in general.. We are saving 19 tonnes of food waste a year with this initiative alone.. “This is win-win because it generates revenue for the Irish grower while preventing food waste and getting beautiful Irish produce on menus.”
Waste Knot campaign, rescued produce, Irish food growers, food waste repurposing, BaxterStorey Ireland, Beechlawn Organic Farm