We’ve all been guilty of accidentally letting produce wither and diminish in the back of our fridge. We’re no strangers to the shame spiral experienced when fishing out wilted lettuce and suspiciously soft tomatoes from their forgotten crannies, but it’s nothing compared to the food wastage that goes on across Australia. Did you know that of the 7.6 million tonnes of food wastage tossed in Australia each year, roughly 70 percent of it is still edible? That’s a lot of brown bananas. Looking to do its part to reduce the estimated 500,000 tonnes of food wastage perpetrated by the retail sector alone, Harris Farm Markets has launched a new range of products made from upcycled perishable grocery items like fruit, vegetables and breads. The Re-purposeful Picks is one part of Harris Farm Markets’ attempt to cut back on environmentally harmful practices, following on from other sustainability initiatives like its plastic bag ban in 2018 and the 2014 launch of its Imperfect Picks offering.

The Re-purposeful Picks selection includes more than 30 products, each extending the shelf life of various produce by two months. Shoppers will be able to fill their baskets with an assortment of delicious and conscience-calming products including smoothies made from upcycled fruit, breadcrumbs made from excess bread, airfried kale chips, pesto and vegetable-topped pizzas. Harris Farm Markets has equipped its stores with facilities to repurpose its food waste on site, helping maximise the extended freshness period of perishables. Head to the Harris Farm Market website to get more info on the Re-purposeful product range (available only in stores including its West End and Clayfield locations), as well as some handy recipes, hints and hacks for at-home repurposing.