GRO-OP

Exploring the climate and cost-of-living crises through food waste and community.

Creative Boom Designing out food poverty: Driftime's GRO-OP co-operative concept.

Food waste is a massive problem in the UK, but so is access to fresh, affordable produce. GRO-OP tackles both issues by connecting people who grow too much with people who need more.

The problem we're solving

Despite an ever growing need for fresh produce, over a quarter of all the food grown in the UK is never eaten, with this wasted harvest accounting for up to 7% of our country’s greenhouse gas emissions. From food injustice to the climate crisis, fresh fruit and vegetables going to waste is nothing but bad news. What was once hailed as a sustainable way for urban and suburban families to grow their own vegetable gardens has now sustained somewhat of a cult status, making it inaccessible to many of the people that they were intended to serve, due to years long waitlists and limited green spaces.

How we're fixing it

We see GRO-OP as a remedy to the current food waste crisis – your go-to community cooperative connecting local growers and grazers with a digital platform to offer their extra potatoes, peas, or pears to those looking for fresh produce at an affordable price. We skip the compost, and redistribute those surplus veggies to good homes in a way that benefits both people and planet, whilst plotting for a peachy future of food justice and climate recovery.