Swiggy, a popular on-demand convenience platform, has introduced its flagship program, ‘Swiggy Serves’, designed to address the twin challenges of food waste and hunger. In collaboration with the Robin Hood Army (RHA), Swiggy aims to redistribute surplus food from its restaurant partners to communities in need.
Swiggy Serves: A Step Toward Societal Change
The Swiggy Serves program is committed to redistributing 50 million meals by 2030, using advanced technology and logistics to enhance food redistribution processes across India. This initiative aims not only to cut down on food waste but also to support underserved communities by providing them with much-needed meals.
Partnership with Robin Hood Army (RHA)
In a bid to tackle hunger more effectively, Swiggy has joined forces with the Robin Hood Army (RHA)—a volunteer-driven group focused on eliminating hunger. This collaboration will enable the redistribution of surplus food from participating restaurants to communities facing food insecurity, thus expanding the reach and impact of Swiggy Serves across India.
How Restaurant Partners Can Participate
Restaurants interested in joining Swiggy Serves can sign up easily via the Swiggy Owner app. By committing to donate surplus or freshly prepared food, restaurant owners become integral to the initiative. Once onboarded, they are added to dedicated WhatsApp groups, where RHA volunteers coordinate the collection and distribution of food to those in need.
The pilot phase of Swiggy Serves has shown encouraging results, with more than 2,000 meals redistributed across 33 cities, supported by the involvement of over 126 restaurant partners.
The Hunger and Wastage Crisis in India
India faces a dire hunger crisis, with 195 million undernourished people, representing a quarter of the global undernourished population, according to the United Nations. The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) ranks India 105th out of 127 countries, with a score of 27.3, indicating the severity of the hunger issue.
In addition, India is grappling with massive food waste, with individuals discarding an estimated 55 kg of food annually, further emphasizing the need for initiatives like Swiggy Serves to combat both food insecurity and waste.
Swiggy Serves: A Vision for Positive Impact
Swiggy Serves represents a significant step in reducing food waste while addressing the pressing hunger crisis in India. Through its strategic partnership with Robin Hood Army and the involvement of restaurant partners, Swiggy is striving to make a lasting and positive impact on society by redistributing meals to those who need them the most.
