To our special series, the Inspirers. All over the world, tons of food goes to waste while millions go hungry. It's a big problem that many have long been trying to solve. The United Nations hopes to cut food waste in half by 2030. A challenge for sure. But one company in Turkey has come up with an innovative idea that's already making a difference. CGTN's Michal Bardavid has the story.  

Over 800 million people around the globe are chronically undernourished. Meanwhile, over 1.6 billion tons of food is being wasted each year. These facts are troublesome.

One company in Istanbul Turkey is determined to fight this battle.

OLCAY SILAHLI WHOLE SURPLUS CO-FOUNDER "When you consider it statistically, if the amount that is thrown out as waste is instead used appropriately, it would be correct to say there wouldn't be a hungry person left in the world."

Whole Surplus was founded by Olcay Silahli and Arda Eren in 2015. Their main goal was to create a digital platform that helps minimize food waste.

Silahli explains that the United States Environmental Protection Agency prioritizes food recovery in a hierarchy.

OLCAY SILAHLI WHOLE SURPLUS CO-FOUNDER "It says that first, you need to try to deliver it to people in need, if you can't do that – then to animals, if that is not possible, it needs to be used industrially, and if not that – then as a last resort, it must be buried in land."

Whole Surplus creates a digital network between supermarkets, food banks and NGOs. The main priority is to support people in need with basic food products, but the structure of the Whole Surplus platform also helps companies manage their food waste as their products can be donated, sold, or recycled as well.

Products that are chosen to be donated by supermarkets are listed on the Whole Surplus platform and can then be selected by the food banks that are part of the same system.

MICHAL BARDAVID ISTANBUL "We are at one of the supermarkets that is part of the Whole Surplus platform. Here they separate the products that do not meet the markets' quality standard anymore however are actually still perfectly suitable for consumption, such as this apple, which is still healthy and delicious."

Products are then transferred to food banks where they become available to people in need.

Locals that wish to use food banks apply to local government officials who make an assessment on the family's needs.

NAZLI WHOLE SURPLUS "They make research; does the person own any property or land, how many people live in the same house, etc. A special limit is determined accordingly, and the person is then provided with a shopping card. They know the limit on their card, and they go shopping just like they would in any other supermarket, they go to the cashier and register the products with their cards."

This is one of the food banks that is registered in the Whole Surplus platform. Suitable to its' cause, the name of the market is "Happy Face". The owner, Muharrem Coban has been operating this bank for 18 years. He says joining Whole Surplus has been beneficial since he now has new access to many chain supermarkets.

MUHARREM COBAN OWNER, HAPPY FACE FOOD BANK "We now have more charcuterie products like cheese, sugar, olives, these are very critical for our people's breakfast. It's important for them to be able to fill children's lunch boxes with breakfast products."

Saadet Sarpkaya is one of the satisfied customers. She does all her grocery shopping at this food bank.

SAADET SARPKAYA FOOD BANK CUSTOMER "They call this place, 'happy face', it's true, I've been smiling since I started coming here. I get my vegetables, my fruit and many other things. I can live without being dependent on anyone, thank God for them, we are so grateful they have thought of this."

Since 2015, Whole Surplus has already helped save over 2,700 tons of food. This would equal 6.5 million meals.

OLCAY SILAHLI WHOLE SURPLUS CO-FOUNDER "For me the most emotional part is for a child of five, six, seven years of age to have access to milk, to a banana, for them to have access to quality products in their everyday lives and to see the smiles on their face, that affects us as a team."

Whole Surplus intends to expand its' operations abroad and has been selected as one of the social entrepreneurship to be supported globally by the United Nations Development Program, which will no doubt help the company create even more impact. Michal Bardavid, CGTN, Istanbul.