Lancaster business student’s ‘wonky food’ company launches new Christmas box

James Eid's company, Earth & Wheat, a wonky and surplus food supplier, has put out a special seasonal box will include an assortment of ‘rescued’ vegetables, fruits and baked breads which would have otherwise been thrown away due to their odd shape or size, or because of oversupply.

The 6.5kg box will include lots of festive favourites including Brussel Sprouts, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, broccoli, red cabbage, onions, garlic, rosemary, oranges, apples and two baked bread varieties plus a kids’ activity pack and recipe cards. The Feast Rescued Box costs £18.99 and is available to pre-order now and closes on December 20 with next-day delivery.

James, via Earth & Wheat, says he will make four meal donations in every customer’s name via FareShare – the UK’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste. A charitable meal is considered 420g based on Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) reporting guidelines.

His award-winning FoodTech brand recently joined the King’s Coronation Food Project’s cause and donated 2,894 ‘meals’ to FareShare which saves good food from going to waste by redistributing it to frontline charities.

James said: “We’re delighted to be launching our Earth & Wheat Christmas Feast Rescued Box and we believe it is the perfect way to spread holiday cheer while making a positive impact for the environment.

“The box will include a range of festive goodies and for every box ordered we pledge to make four charity donations via FareShare to help those who are in most need of help this Christmas.”

Earth & Wheat was founded by entrepreneur James who introduced the world’s first ‘wonky bread’ box in March 2021 by rescuing perfectly tasty baked goods, such as pancakes, tortilla wraps and flatbreads, from bakeries - including his own family-run business in Hertfordshire.

The start-up then ventured out into the fruit and vegetables market by preventing thousands of pieces of food from being binned by collecting them from farms around the UK. Earth & Wheat has so far saved more than 500 tonnes of wonky or surplus food from going into landfill.