Page 66 - CIJ April 2025- Digital Edition

DIFFERENT STROKES

Pick’n’Treat

Rescuing Food, Rebuilding Futures

It all started with a simple question: what if the food we throw away could feed someone in need?
The bustling streets of South Delhi, a quiet revolution, is taking shape — led not by corporations or
governments, but by students. Inspired by the Prime Minister’s call to reduce food waste and tackle rising
lifestyle diseases, a group of young changemakers created Pick’n’Treat, a youth-led initiative on a mission
to rescue surplus food and deliver it to those who need it most.

Enough is enough! Food collected from local vendors
belongs on plates, not in and offered to customers at
landfills! deeply discounted prices. The
Born out of concern and idea is elegant and effective.
inspiration, Pick’n’Treat began It reduces food waste, helps
as a student-led response to a vendors earn from surplus,
problem India can no longer and makes healthy food more
ignore. With 224 million accessible.
citizens going to bed hungry, The first pilot, launched with
and over 75 million tonnes seven Safal vendors in South
of food wasted each year, the Delhi, exceeded expectations.
contradiction is painful. For
the team behind Pick’n’Treat, In just a few weeks, 250kg
it was also motivating. of vegetables were rescued
“We started asking and 50 Magic Bags sold.
ourselves, what if surplus food Customers, delighted by the
could be repurposed instead quality and affordability,
of wasted?” says one of the often picked up other items
founding members. That during their visits spending an
question sparked a solution: additional ₹100 on average.
Magic Bags. Each “Magic Vendors benefited. Food was
Bag” is a simple package — saved. And most importantly,
3-5kg of fresh, unsold produce a small shift in mindset began.

66 APRIL 2025•Clean India Journal•www.cleanindiajournal.com