OzHarvest: Rescuing quality food to feed people in need

Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles (centre), Kerryn Baird (left of Duchess of Cornwall), CEO of OzHarvest, Ronni Kahn (right), Chairman of OzHarvest, Richard Deutsch (far left) and the OzHarvest team.

28 June 2016

The problem

More than two million people in Australia rely on food relief, according to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. At the same time, over four million tonnes of food ends up in landfill each year.


The proposition

OzHarvest takes excess food from restaurants, retailers, food outlets and corporate kitchens and delivers it to charities to feed people in need.

Founded in Sydney in 2004 by Ronni Kahn and based on the American Harvest model in the US, it is the only perishable food rescue organisation collecting from all types of food outlets in Australia.

"We are proud that each dollar donated to OzHarvest brings so much value back to our community, but the ‘happiness factor’ – the joy, dignity, connection and care felt by our people and the charitable organisations we serve – is impossible to monetise."

Ronni Kahn
CEO, OzHarvest

The partnership

The Macquarie Group Foundation became involved with OzHarvest while the charity was being established. Recognising the pioneering nature of its goals in Australia, Macquarie and Macquarie staff have provided more than A$2 million in funding, as well as access to a range of skills, in the decade since its inception.

Staff assistance has included:

  • An IT review of OzHarvest’s systems and recommendations for IT infrastructure and ongoing service issues
  • The donation of desktop computers and additional hardware
  • Participation in various corporate volunteering and fundraising activities, including collecting, distributing and serving food
  • Fundraising support for OzHarvest’s new Adelaide office
  • Service on the OzHarvest Board

Today, OzHarvest operates in eight cities, collecting quality excess food from more than 2,000 commercial outlets and delivering it to more than 800 charities.


The impact

  • For every A$1 invested in the OzHarvest food rescue program, there is a social value benefit greater than A$5.68, according to OzHarvest
  • 20,273 tonnes of carbon emissions saved
  • 12,671,092 kilos of food saved
  • More than 800 recipient agencies and 2,400 food donors
  • Over 38 million meals delivered


Staff assistance

  • An IT review of OzHarvest’s systems and recommendations for IT infrastructure and ongoing service issues
  • The donation of desktop computers and additional hardware
  • Participation in various corporate volunteering and fundraising activities, including collecting, distributing and serving food
  • Fundraising support for OzHarvest’s new Adelaide office
  • Service on the OzHarvest Board

Source: OzHarvest, March 2016