From Waste to Warmth
Disciplines
research
service design
strategy
system thinking
achievements
entry
Servdes 25
-Service design competition hosted at IIT Hyderabad
In a country where food is worshipped, millions still sleep hungry, while tonnes of perfectly edible food go to waste each day.
This isn’t just a problem of scarcity. It’s a problem of connection.
View concept
In India, 68 million tonnes of food are wasted each year. That’s nearly 30–40% of what we produce, lost in weddings, hotels, markets. Yet, the country ranks 107th in the Global Hunger Index. And 80% of migrant workers in major cities remain food-insecure.
This isn’t just a supply problem. It’s a distribution failure, and a design opportunity.
1/3
of all food produced globally never gets eaten.
This wasted food is rotting in landfills releasing planet-warming emissions livelihoods and economies that could be thriving are taking financial losses of up to $1 trillion a year.
189M
Undernourished
30%
5 years of age are stunted
51%
Women (15-49) are anaemic
17%
Under 5 are underweight
1/10
People around the world don't get enough to eat
Caterers
Delivers to
NGO
Redistributes to
Migrant workers
How might we connect prepared surplus food from wedding caterers in Delhi to location specific food redistribution channels to efficiently deliver meals to migrant workers.
Our solution proposes a comprehensive network of stakeholders, utilising the existing resources available like, dark stores and AADHAR/E-Shram card to redistribute the food to the needy.
This approach makes sure a quick pick-up from the donor’s location happens and the food is immediately sent to the dark stores and then distributed to the needy.
1
Robin Hood Army
Operates in 100+ Indian cities with a volunteer-driven model, connecting restaurants with the urban poor.
2
Feeding India (by Zomato)
Works with 25,000+ volunteers across 80+ cities, redistributing surplus food.
3
No Food Waste
Active in 20+ cities, focusing on collecting surplus food from wedding halls and large events.
3
No Food Waste
Active in 20+ cities, focusing on collecting surplus food from wedding halls and large events.
Existing Food Redistribution Initiatives
4
Roti Bank
Has redistribution networks in Mumbai, Delhi, and other major cities, ensuring surplus food reaches those in need.
5
FSSAI's Save Food, Share Food Initiative
Provides regulatory frameworks and safety guidelines for food donation and redistribution.
Technological Integration in Food Redistribution
Real-time mapping of surplus food sources reduces response time by 40-50%, enabling faster redistribution.
Mobile apps for food donation coordination improve efficiency by 60-75% in pilot studies.
Real-time mapping of surplus food sources reduces response time by 40-50%, enabling faster redistribution.
Real-time mapping of surplus food sources reduces response time by 40-50%, enabling faster redistribution.
Blockchain pilots in Mumbai and Bengaluru have improved food traceability, boosting transparency and accountability.
Blockchain pilots in Mumbai and Bengaluru have improved food traceability, boosting transparency and accountability.
Blockchain pilots in Mumbai and Bengaluru have improved food traceability, boosting transparency and accountability.
Cold-chain research extends food safety window by 30%, improving quality in redistribution.
Smart.
Simple.
Human.
We mapped the invisible flow of surplus food, from wedding caterers to NGOs to migrant workers. Interviews revealed fragmented efforts, missed opportunities, and one powerful insight: People want to help. But they don’t know how.
We mapped the invisible flow of surplus food, from wedding caterers to NGOs to migrant workers. Interviews revealed fragmented efforts, missed opportunities, and one powerful insight: People want to help. But they don’t know how.
“We overproduce by 25%, but don’t know whom to call.”
-caterer
“Timing is our biggest challenge.”
-ngo staff
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Wedding Caterers
NGOs
Volunteers
Media outlets
Influencers
Promotional activities
Government
Community
Health & Safety Regulators
Migrant Workers
Location owner
Deliver surplus food to
Distribute the food to hotspots
Food reaches
Physical Evidence
Customer actions
Line of interactions
Frontstage
Line of visibility
Backstage
Line of internal interactions
Support Process
Surplus food from institutions is identified, matched, and delivered to underserved communities with dignity.
Food waste taught me
Designing for dignity requires more than good UX.
Systems thinking is essential in social impact projects
Low-tech can still be high-impact
/prəˈbhaːv/
© 2025 Prabhav Singh. All rights reserved.
Crafted with passion by Prabhav.
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