Twenty Christchurch cafes have signed up to donate unsold food to a new "free store" that opened on Friday.
Kairos Free Store is operated by a team of volunteers who pick up the unsold food twice a week from cafes, so it can be given to people who need it.
The inner city store, which operates out of a container, is the brainchild of 27-year-old Beth Hutt.
"There is no exchange of money between any parties. We are partnering with cafes to solve their wastage problem, while providing free food to those who need it in our city," she told The Press.
Ms Hutt is a cafe manager herself and sees the problem of food wastage first hand.
She says unless staff take leftover food home or the cafe's give it way it is chucked in the bin.
Generosity from the community helped to get this initiative off the ground.
RNP Homes donated the container the store operates out of and Grace Vineyard Church donated part of the land.
Ms Hutt was inspired to start the free store by the Wellington version that has been open since 2011.
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