‘Ugly’ food gaining acceptance in Singapore but more education needed, businesses say

“UPCYCLED” FOOD WASTE

Another segment of the market is involved in food waste valorisation, or the conversion of food waste and by-products into higher-value products.

UglyDuck Cafe owner Ong Weiquan has found the added step of processing imperfect produce for the buyer to be necessary.

While the cafe initially stocked fresh, unprocessed blemished produce, he reduced the inventory after finding that it was difficult to get them sold.

If the blemished produce is sold unprocessed, consumers have “more pushback” against it and their perceived value of the food is “way, way lower”, with expectations that it will be very cheap or even free, he said.

Mr Ong opened UglyDuck Cafe in late 2021 as a way to make use of the blemished and surplus fruit offered by vendors supplying his juice company Gorilla Press.

An example of a product the cafe sells is a coconut shake using flesh from the fruit that would typically be discarded after coconut water has been extracted.

He said that patrons who come to the cafe for food waste and sustainability reasons are outliers.

The majority of diners are “pretty indifferent” that imperfect ingredients are used, and are more concerned with how the dishes and drinks taste, he said.

Another business, Crust Group, brews beer from surplus bread that has not been used or sold, and also uses surplus ingredients like fruit peels and stale coffee grounds.

A company spokesperson told CNA that customers were surprised at what it was doing, saying: “When we first launched, people didn’t totally understand what we were doing.

“They were confused about food waste and food loss and thought that we were taking food that had been consumed or used by others and turning it into beer.”

Crust Group also contended with perceptions that a beer made from “upcycled” ingredients would not taste good, or would not actually taste like beer.

“Now that we are three years plus in the market, more people gradually understand that we are using surplus food and perceptions have changed,” said the spokesperson.