Vendors, worry about food waste no more
dubai — Food vendors looking for a solution that will help them reduce food waste and save on their inventory will soon have an ally, as the UAE’s first discounted wholesale online food store goes live.
Officially launched at Gulfood 2018, iGOless.com aims to reduce food wastage through bridging the gap between vendors and wholesale consumers. The Dubai based e-commerce platform offers a solution to food market suppliers and buyers, helping to reduce waste by giving them the opportunity to clear their stock before it expires, and offers buyers considerable discounts and savings.
As well as catering to hotel chains, iGOless.com is also committed to supporting restaurants, coffee shops, catering companies, distributors and producers by sourcing the best products from hundreds of vendors to all F&B outlets.
“While we support changing the mindset to tackle the UAE’s food waste issue, iGOless aims to also save cost for both parties and ease the wholesale purchase and delivery process through its ecommerce module,” said Tuya Miari, cofounder of iGOless.
The UAE government aims to recycle to recycle 75 per cent of food wasted by 2021. Globally, about $1 trillion worth of food is wasted yearly, equivalent to about 1.5 per cent of the worldwide economy. At a recent food awareness session in Dubai, hosted by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, it was estimated that there is Dh14.69 billion in yearly food waste in the UAE, as compared to the Dh9.5 trillion in annual food waste globally.
The study also revealed that 7 types of food are regularly being discarded based on best-before rather than expiry dates, with fresh meat topping the list at 72 per cent. It was followed by fruits and vegetables, baby foods, dairy, frozen foods, canned foods and finally grains.
The portal currently offers a wide range of products from beverages, meat and dry foods to snacks and confectionery; and has signed up vendors including Promar Trading, Horeca, Truebell and Rich House.
New vendors need to register online and follow a simple online process, placing their discounted wholesale food items with related photos, description and expiry dates, where interested sellers can view and then make their purchases. — rohma@khaleejtimes.com