The Vancouver DYNE team volunteered their time at Quest Outreach Society earlier this week! Quest Outreach Society’s mission is to disrupt the cycle of poverty through access to healthy and affordable food that is sourced sustainably. As Quest is a leader in redistribution and working to redirect food that would go to waste, our team helped by repacking bulk amounts donated from restaurants and wholesalers into smaller amounts for the Quest food exchange. Their exchange program provides food that is only 30-50% of their market value to their families and individuals in need.

Quest’s main focus is to support the community while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise end up in the landfill and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Almost all of Quest’s food is donated by local food partners from across British Columbia and delivered across our five Lower Mainland markets at reduced cost to our client communities. 

We're thrilled to have volunteered our time with them as Quest's main principles include sustainability, access, and dignity. Here at DYNE we make sustainability in the food sector a priority as well. The DYNE Dashboard optimizes food waste by streamlining resource reallocation in the restaurant industry for a circular economy. The Dashboard provides restaurant owners and decision makers a way to visualize the supply chain across their stores, enabling easier inventory reallocation, encouraging sustainability and reducing waste.  

While our Vancouver team was volunteering, our Edmonton team organized a culinary event unlike any other! Restaurant owners, food service providers, Sysco officials, startups and investors gathered on September 17th for a special event focused on fostering learning and empowerment in the restaurant industry. We were fortunate to have an incredible lineup of panelists of industry leaders, who brought their own unique perspectives and expertise to the table. Our panelists included Peter Keith, the renowned chef and entrepreneur behind Meuwly with recognitions of Canadian Chef of the Year and Top 30 Under 30, Haley Donadeo, a culinary scientist and the creator of Hmaefood who’s well known for blending science and creativity in the culinary world, and Gurjeet Khaira, who’s had 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is the visionary behind Guru's success in the restaurant industry. 

The event dived deep into balancing technology and tradition in the culinary industry, a very critical topic in today’s rapidly changing world. Attendees benefited from deep-dive discussions on food waste and strategies to mitigate it, a crucial factor playing part in both environmental and economic concerns for restaurants. The lively discussions also shed light on the rising challenges posed by the increasing food costs, offering potential solutions and strategies for businesses. A special networking period allowed attendees to meet each other, share experiences, and build potential partnerships for the future. No culinary event is complete without food, and this event was no exception. Delicious food was served by Epic Foodhall, as their spread was prepared by four different chefs who came together to create a unique and diverse menu for our attendees. Last but not least, the DYNE giveaway was announced at the event, which is scheduled to surprise and delight one of the attendees with 6 months of DYNE for free, on September 22nd!