Impact In Numbers
- 800 tons of food distributed feeding 30,000 people / month
- 130 beneficiary organisations supporting redistribution efforst
- Trained 30 underpriviliged youth and employed 4 youths
Key Insights
- How can we create experiences for potential supporters of our organization? FoodCycle is doing this through their integrated hub plan - what about your initiative?
- The importance of financial sustainability - developing monetization models for NGOs can involve a lot of creative and out-of the box approaches.
- Content creation isn’t just for individuals - NGOs should also leverage it to monetize and grow their impact.
- Positive reinforcement to encourage behaviour change - Indonesians have been relatively supportive of efforts to reduce food waste by companies, creating a positive feedback loop.
We'd love to hear about your initiative Food Cycle Indonesia and how it started- what's the story behind it?
What are some of the challenges you encountered while running FoodCycle?
What strategies have been successful for you in convincing businesses to collaborate and donate their food, especially in overcoming the fears and "what ifs" that they might have?
Can you share more details about your upcoming Integrated Food Hub project?
One interesting trend we’ve noticed that people are increasingly seeking experiences. For instance, when you visit some coffee shops, it’s not just about ordering coffee anymore; it’s about creating your own experience – choosing the beans, the milk, and even the type of bottle cap.
Similar to the idea of how you can create an experience for coffee, chocolate, beer or wine tasting, how can we then, as an NGO, create similar experience for people to learn and participate in our movement?
At FoodCycle, we’ve introduced volunteering experiences in our warehouse, where volunteers help sort and identify edible bread and pastries. This fun, hands-on activity has proven to be quite popular, and it made us realize there’s a demand for these kinds of experiences.
Building on this success, we’re exploring the creation of an integrated hub where we elevate the experience beyond a simple food bank warehouse.
We’re considering how people can go beyond just sorting food and explore the many paths food can take. This type of experience could cater not only to corporations but also schools, offering educational field trips that teach children about sustainability through hands-on activities.
Our vision is to create a hub that serves as a central space for corporate experiences and public education, with the entire facility embodying a circular food system that fosters a self-sustaining, interconnected community.
The existing food banks and this experiential facility would complement one another, telling a complete story. Without the food bank, the narrative wouldn’t be as impactful – people still want to see the food rescue process in action. Together, they weave a meaningful picture for people to learn about the food system.
Expertise is key here – while we know the food bank process well, we’ve also brought in experts in agriculture, fisheries, organic waste management, and outreach, along with event organizers, all working together to create a memorable experience for everyone who will visit the hub.
By uniting all these elements, the hub will serve as a powerful demonstration of what FoodCycle can achieve in organic waste recycling.
You've been involved in this space for quite some time. How do you perceive people's awareness levels regarding food loss and food waste?
In the early days of Food Cycle, when we mentioned donating food, people often thought we were referring to leftovers from their plates, which wasn’t the case. Now, the public generally understands that this is not the kind of food we handle; they are more aware that food waste from businesses exists.
Previously, it was a topic that was kept quiet, and the public wasn’t informed about what was happening. With increased awareness, people realize how much food is actually being wasted.
One positive aspect I’ve noticed is that people in our country tend to appreciate the positive efforts being made. When businesses start donating food, they are more inclined to encourage these actions rather than criticize the businesses for wasting food in the past.
This creates a supportive environment, which is how the public should respond. If people were to shame businesses, it would create a negative atmosphere where companies might prefer not to engage in discussions at all. It’s better to acknowledge the problem and work towards a solution. I’m grateful that our public has fostered such an encouraging environment for our donors.
You and Food Cycle have been making significant contributions to addressing the problem of food waste. How can people support your efforts?
We’re currently expanding our content creation efforts, which began earlier this year, to raise awareness about food loss and waste.
One way to support us is by engaging with our content – like and follow FoodCycle on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other platforms. We’re active on multiple channels and try to make our content as engaging and fun as possible to raise awareness about food loss and waste.
It’s a heavy topic, often discussed only in forums or governmental settings, but we want to present it in a lively, entertaining way that helps the public understand it better and hopefully inspires them to make lifestyle changes that reduce their contribution to the problem.
By subscribing and liking our content, you help us gain more traction. Beyond that, people can support by taking simple actions within their capacity, like not wasting food and sharing any excess with others.
If you own or know of businesses interested in supporting our cause, we’d love to have them come on board. Currently, we don’t accept public donations directly since we don’t have the infrastructure to handle that yet. For now, our focus is on business-to-business partnerships, but you can also help by spreading the word and creating positive encouragement around the issue.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in FoodCycle so far?
Seeing testimonials from our beneficiaries about how our work has been helpful to them is already a reward in itself. Even though I don’t see the beneficiaries as often anymore, since I’m mostly handling background tasks, knowing that what we do makes a positive impact on people and the environment is incredibly fulfilling.
For example, seeing our growth, like the recent launch of our agricultural recovery activities in Lembang, or expanding into new sectors – that feels like a real win.
We have a solid, passionate team that takes pride in what they do, and that, to me, is another reward – bringing together a group of people who are genuinely happy to be doing good things.
It’s fascinating because finding like-minded people can be quite challenging; I feel fortunate to have that. I think it’s less about being “weird” and more about being authentic.
On a more philosophical note, you come to realize that life isn’t just about material wealth and career success.
If anything, being more blessed and fortunate means we have a greater responsibility to help others. In the end, when you’re old and on your deathbed, you might start reflecting on what you’ve done with your life. I don’t want to wait until then. I want to make myself useful to others now.
What advice would you give to other organizations or individuals who want to tackle the food waste problem?
It’s important to recognize that it requires a lot of persistence and staying true to your mission.
It’s also important to have fun with it and not let frustration overshadow the positive impact you’re aiming to achieve. Running an organization, like any business, comes with its own set of challenges, but remembering the cause you’re working towards can help you stay motivated and enjoy the process. So, my advice is to embrace the journey with a positive attitude and make sure to find joy in the work you’re doing.
If people want to learn more about FoodCycle and support the organization, where can they find you?
Learn more about FoodCycle and their upcoming Integrated Hub plans by clicking their social links below
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