In a landmark 2011 report, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that 1.3 billion tons of the world’s edible food – one third of global production – is wasted every year.
This amount of perfectly good, nutritious food could feed three billion people. And it’s a worsening problem - with a 2021 report from WWF revising this figure upwards to 2.5 billion tonnes, or 40% of all food produced.
Food waste is an environmental disaster due to the huge volume of greenhouse gases emitted through its production and distribution life cycle. Consequently, reducing food waste is deemed by some researchers to be the third most effective weapon we have in the fight against climate change (Project Drawdown, 2017).
In the UK an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of edible food waste was thrown away in 2018, with a value of over £19 billion and a footprint of more than 25 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (House of Lords, 2021). These figures are once food has entered the supply chain, however we know there is further need to tackle primary level waste on farms, with wastage levels of 10-16% in a typical year (Farm Waste Report – Feedback, 2018).
Growing up on farms, Dash co-founders Jack & Alex witnessed the cause and effect of food waste first hand and felt compelled to act.
As the idea for a new range of unsweetened sparkling waters took form, it felt natural to use the product as a vehicle with which to do this. So, in 2017 they launched Dash Water – sparkling spring water infused with wonky fruit; the bent, curved and misshapen produce which others say no to simply because they are judged on looks, not taste.