Blog: Every Bite Counts

Meet Anna Stegink, from Eat Impact, and our Food Waste Champion for the month. 

1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your background and what led you to start Eat Impact?

My name is Anna Stegink, and I’ve always been passionate about food and sustainability. At the onset of the pandemic, when global supply chains were strained and communities were relying more on local solutions, I launched my first food-focused startup. That experience opened my eyes to the massive disconnect between the abundance of good food available in Canada and the staggering amount that never gets eaten. It also gave me firsthand insight into how small changes in the food system can make a big impact. That realization ultimately led me to start Eat Impact, a mission-driven produce delivery service that rescues perfectly good “imperfect” and surplus fruits and vegetables and delivers them to our customers’ doorsteps. 

2. What was the “aha” moment that sparked the idea for your business?

My “aha” moment came while running a local food delivery service during the pandemic. I kept hearing from farmers and wholesalers who had huge volumes of beautiful produce they couldn’t sell, not because anything was wrong with the food, but because of cosmetic imperfections, order cancellations, or shifting demand. At the same time, families were struggling to access fresh, affordable produce. It struck me how much sense it made to connect the dots between these two problems: reduce waste and increase access. That’s when Eat Impact was born.

3. Why is food waste an issue you’re personally passionate about?

Food waste is one of the most urgent and most solvable climate challenges of our time. Around one-third of all food produced globally never gets eaten, squandering the land, water, energy, and labour that went into growing it. Food waste is responsible for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a bigger emitter than most countries.

Watching perfectly good produce go to waste because it does not meet cosmetic retail standards or is available in surplus is heartbreaking, especially at a time when prioritizing eating healthy is becoming harder for families across the country. Fighting food waste isn’t just good for the planet, it’s good for people too. 

4. Tell us about Eat Impact. How does it help prevent food waste, and what makes it so special?

Eat Impact is a produce delivery service on a mission to make eating sustainably easier and more affordable. We work directly with local farmers, packers, and distributors to rescue surplus and imperfect fruits and vegetables that are perfectly fresh, but at risk of going to waste. Customers can customize their box each week to receive the produce they love, and we deliver it right to their doorstep at up to 40% off major grocery store prices.

By seamlessly connecting excess supply with demand, Eat Impact prevents thousands of pounds of perfectly good produce from going to waste every week. The result is families save time, eat healthier, and make a real difference for the planet, without paying more.

5. What impact has your company made in terms of food waste reduction?

Since launching, Eat Impact has rescued almost 1 million pounds of fresh produce at risk of going to waste. That’s equivalent to preventing over 2.4 million kilograms of CO₂ emissions.

We’ve also helped thousands of Ontario families access affordable, healthy produce on a regular basis, building a community of conscious eaters who are proud to make a real difference through their everyday choices.

6. What have been the biggest challenges, and perhaps opportunities, in developing or scaling Eat Impact?

One of the biggest challenges has been logistics. Dealing with surplus and imperfect produce means supply varies weekly, so we’ve had to build an agile and lean sourcing and fulfillment operation. Scaling sustainably while maintaining quality and affordability is a constant balancing act.

Yet these challenges have also sparked some of our greatest opportunities. They’ve pushed us to build strong partnerships with local growers and distributors, innovate in how we source and pack, and create a more resilient supply chain.

As awareness of food waste grows, we’ve found more and more consumers are eager to be part of the solution, which has opened doors for expansion and new partnerships.

7. What has been your key success factor in inspiring people to prevent food waste?

We’ve learned that making it easy, affordable and convenient for people to take action is key. Most people care about the issue, but they need simple ways to integrate waste reduction into their busy lives. By combining impact with savings and convenience, we remove friction and help customers feel good about their choices every week. 

8. What’s one lesson you’ve learned as a leader in the food sustainability space?

Change happens when mission meets execution. Passion and purpose are crucial, but to create real impact at scale, you need strong operations, customer focus, and resilience. The food system is complex, and progress doesn’t happen overnight, but with persistence and creativity, you can shift habits, industries, and mindsets.

9. What else do you want to share with our audience?

Food waste is something we can all take action on, every single day. Whether it’s through supporting food rescue initiatives, being mindful of what we buy, or celebrating the “imperfect,” every small step adds up. At Eat Impact, we’re proud to be part of a growing movement that’s making sustainable eating more mainstream, and we’re just getting started.

Update

Since this interview was conducted, Eat Impact has partnered with Mama Earth to continue making it easier to eat well, reduce food waste, and support more sustainable systems. The following statement was provided by Anna via social media in January of this year.

“Since launching Eat Impact in 2023, our goal has always been simple: make it easier to eat well, reduce food waste, and support a more sustainable food system.

As we’ve grown, it became clear that the best way to deepen that impact was to partner with a team that truly shares those values. I’m so excited to share that Eat Impact is joining the Mama Earth family.

Mama Earth has been supporting local farmers and food makers since 2007, and their commitment to local food, reducing waste, and building a better food system mirrors everything Eat Impact stands for.

This next chapter means more choice, an even better shopping experience, and more ways to support the farmers and makers behind your food, without losing what made Eat Impact special in the first place.

Thank you for being part of this community. I can’t wait for you to experience what’s next”