Award-winning events caterer, Seasoned is putting their weight behind the issue of food waste, by supporting the use of ‘wonky’ veg in their kitchens.
Getting behind the use of wonky or ‘ugly’ vegetables has risen in popularity since celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty investigated the issue on their Channel 4 show ‘Friday Night Feast’ last year. The episode saw the chefs approach supermarket chain Asda to trial the launch of a new wonky veg box range called ‘Beautiful on the Inside’, after discovering that they had previously sold ugly produce at a 30% discount, alongside the more expensive regular vegetables that consumers are accustomed to.
Seasoned recently sent some of their event team to visit fruit and vegetable suppliers, to ask about their surplus produce and the reality of the weight it holds over the British farming industry.
According to the farmers, beyond the financial strain it puts on a struggling vocation, it’s estimated that a staggering 20-40% of fruit and veg produced by UK farmers ends up wasted; either left for animal feed, ploughed back into the land or sent to landfill - as it is not deemed attractive enough to be sold in supermarkets.
The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) estimates that one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, equating to around 1.3 billion tonnes per year.
Colin Sayers, Managing Partner for Seasoned, said, “Here at Seasoned we’re really focussing our attention on how we can help towards reducing this staggering figure of wasted produce. Last year we used half a tonne of ‘aesthetically pleasing’ parsnips and three quarters of ‘beautiful’ beetroots, along with punnets and punnets full of Brussels sprouts and carrots.
'Often these wonderful British roots are used as a raw ingredient in our dishes; for layered slices in a goats’ cheese terrine, or smashed in roasted sage and served in bountiful bowls.
“We recently carried out an experiment where our team tasted these dishes featuring both the wonky and the aesthetically pleasing vegetables, and the answer was clear - they both tasted just as great as the other! It was then that our pledge became clear; instead of allowing our wonky veg to be sent to landfill before it reaches us, going forward we will be choosing wonky!”.
Seasoned has agreed with their suppliers to take wonky vegetables in their produce deliveries, and will be working with the farmers throughout 2017 to continue to find ways to cut food waste.