Food wastage is a globally recognised problem, a significant part of which can be attributed to the food service sector. This issue isn’t just pervasive but is also a tricky one to solve, with restaurants seeing a regular surplus in food despite stringent planning.
To address this and to bridge the gap in resources, Swiggy teamed up with The Robin Hood Army in January 2025 to launch ‘Swiggy Serves’, a programme wherein the surplus food from the restaurant ecosystem is picked up and delivered to people in need. Swiggy has set a goal of rescuing 50 million meals by 2030, all from restaurant partners on the Swiggy platform, fighting hunger and enabling partners to donate to a good cause. The partnership with Robin Hood Army is Swiggy’s first initiative in this regard.
Speaking at the launch, Rohit Kapoor, CEO, Swiggy Food Marketplace shared, “At Swiggy, we’ve always seen ourselves as experts in logistics and consumer experience. With ‘Swiggy Serves,’ we are leveraging our strengths and privilege to address a larger societal need and tackle the issues of food wastage and hunger. We are excited to partner with RHA to redistribute surplus food from our restaurant partners to those in need. Currently, we are live in 65 cities and we plan to take this initiative to more cities. This isn’t just about reducing waste, it’s about creating a meaningful impact, ensuring that no meal goes wasted.”
From overpreparation and menu complexities to low order numbers on certain items, restaurants often find that food wastage is almost impossible to prevent. Robin Hood Army’s network and its approach to operations, thus make it the ideal partner for such a programme.
With a presence in more than 400 cities across 13 countries, Robin Hood Army is India’s largest NGO working towards fighting hunger. Operating through 2.5 lakh volunteers called ‘Robins’, the NGO facilitates a smooth donation process and provides regular updates to the restaurants.
The NGO’s founder, Aarushi says, “ Robin Hood Army is thrilled to come together with Swiggy for this shared mission of reducing hunger. When an industry leader like Swiggy collaborates with a community-driven movement, it amplifies the impact, inspiring others to join the fight against hunger. Together, we’re creating a stronger, united front to ensure no plate goes empty.”
Speaking about the promise this collaboration holds, Ravi, Operations Manager for Robin Hood Army adds, “Our partnership with Swiggy reflects the belief that technology and community spirit go hand-in-hand when it comes to driving real change. We are not only inspiring people but creating an impact that’ll touch lives forever.”
Through this partnership, using the NGO’s extensive network, Swiggy aims to steadily increase the amount of food being donated by targeting all surplus food rather than just cancelled orders. It’s also a way to include Swiggy restaurant partners in a larger mission to combat hunger. So far, the initiative has seen over 300 partner sign-ups and more than 6,000 meals distributed. With ‘Swiggy Serves’, consistent action becomes possible because logistical challenges are taken care of, and restaurants get real-time help to coordinate donations better.
As this programme takes off, Swiggy is confident that more and more restaurant partners across the country will readily join the ‘Swiggy Serves’ mission.
